Trauma lingers after Orem slaying

Tonja Nash died from two shotgun blasts to the back. Her boyfriend shot her once as she ran from him outside their Orem home. He shot her again, then repeatedly jammed the butt of his gun into her face as she lay on the sidewalk.

Her 12-year-old son was at a friend's house dialing 911. Her 9-year-old son saw everything.

"My mom! My mom!" the younger boy screamed.

"How can you get over someone killing your mom right in front of you?" asked a neighbor who watched from across the street.

Five months have passed since that October night. And Dakota and Ryan, who now live with their father, Daniel Nash, in Tucson, Ariz., aren't over it. They may never get over it. But they are learning to live with it, their dad said in a telephone interview.

"They have moments of sorrow. They talk about their mother a lot. Over dinner they'll usually bring up a memory," Nash said.

Last month they celebrated what would have been her 41st birthday. They made a cake, lit candles and sang "Happy Birthday."

"Her urn is in our living room so they can talk with her anytime," Daniel Nash said.

Earlier this month, Keith Morton pleaded guilty to killing Tonja Nash, saving the boys from having to relive the traumatic scene in court.

Overall, Nash said his sons are handling things well. They lived with their mom for just three months before she died, so the move back to his house went smoothly, he said. A stable, familiar environment has aided their recovery.

Nash has remarried since he and Tonja divorced in 2003. He also has a 16-year-old daughter, Danielle, from their marriage. Though the teenager wasn't present during the shooting, she carries an "enormous amount of guilt," he said. She was aware of prior domestic violence between her mom and Morton.

A high school sophomore, she has immersed herself in civil rights issues and helping disabled students. "She's very aware of pain in the world, so she's doing what she can," Nash said.

Dakota and Ryan had nightmares early on and have cried out for their mother in the middle of the night. Nash has noticed them on each other's case more than before. But he hasn't seen any signs of depression.

"We haven't gone into massive trauma where the whole family shut down," he said.