Candlelight vigil planned for Pascagoula woman

Friends of Jessie Bardwell have organized a candlelight vigil for Sunday night to honor their friend.

The vigil will be at 7:30 p.m. at Beach Park Pier across from Beach Park in Pascagoula.

Family friend Kristin Baber Pugh organized the vigil. Candles will be provided.

"There are not many people in Pascagoula who don't know the Bardwells," said Pugh, who grew up with the family and attended church with them.

"It's hard to do anything and you feel so helpless. We just wanted to rally around the family and this is an opportunity to gather and show our support for the family.

"We want them to know we have their backs."

Pugh said the Rev. Jay Cook, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Pascagoula, will say a few words to open the vigil.

The city is spreading the word about the vigil through its social media accounts.

Bardwell, 27, was living in Richardson, Texas, and was reported missing May 9 after she failed to call her parents on Mother's Day.

On Friday, Richardson Police arrested Bardwell's boyfriend, Jason Lowe, 27, on a charge of murder. As of Friday afternoon, her body had not been recovered.

This story was originally published May 14, 2016 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Candlelight vigil planned for Pascagoula woman ."