Vanessa Pham, Teen Murder Victim, Remembered by Friends, Family

Vienna, Va. (CBS/WUSA) Former classmates and loved ones spoke one by one at James Madison High School in Vienna, Va. Wednesday, remembering Vanessa Pham, the college freshman who was found murdered Sunday June 27.

Police said multiple stab wounds caused  Pham's death, even though her body was found inside a 2008 Toyota that apparently crashed into a ditch off of Route 50, said CBS affiliate WUSA.

Friends at the memorial fought to hold back tears as they told stories and wondered how someone could murder such a gifted and beautiful young woman.

"She was one of the nicest people I ever met in my life," said a college friend.

Pham was a design student at the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia and had aspirations of becoming a fashion designer. Aaron Apsley, Vanessa's boyfriend, attended the ceremony. According to CBS affiliate WUSA, the two were anticipating his scheduled arrival from Ohio to Virginia when he was to meet her family for the first time.

Pham, an only child, was home to spend the summer with her mother and grandmother.

According to the victim's mother Julie Pham, it is believed 19-year-old Vanessa went to visit friends around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, but discovered her friends weren't home. Police do not know what happened to Pham during the next hour.

Julie Pham told WUSA she took out a $40,000 loan to pay for her daughter to attend college. Vanessa's friends  were raising money to help her mother pay for the funeral.

Anyone with information related to the Vanessa Pham case is asked to contact Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477

MORE ON CRIMESIDER: June 30, 2010 - Vanessa Pham, Teen Found Dead in Car Crash, Was Stabbed to Death First, Say Police