Tragedy Strikes Fellow Investigator & Her Family

Breaking news from the St. Petersburg Times:

By Letitia Stein and Dong-Phuong Nguyen, Times Staff Writers 

TAMPA — A 32-year-old investigator, a rising star in the federal public defender's office, was accidentally shot and killed Saturday by her father while they were cleaning guns together…

My prayers go out to Melissa’s family, friends and co-workers.  I can’t imagine anything worse than losing a child like this and from the amazingly nice things her boss, Federal Public Defender Donna Elm, it seems like she is going to be sorely missed at an office where she was really appreciated and loved:

Melissa Kupferberg was writing a book about approaches to investigations that drew on her background in mental health, said Donna Elm, the federal defender for the middle district of Florida in the Tampa office.

She excelled at her job, a coveted position in the federal public defender's office, and was being invited to speak at national conferences. She was involved with the National Defender Investigator Association.

"At 32, this is all very remarkable," Elm said, adding that she was also beloved by her co-workers.

"She's one of those really optimistic, positive souls who always smiles and loves a joke and is very cheery."

And in the world of public defense, that's not easy.

We should all be so lucky to work with, and know someone like Melissa.