Victoria, Texas — A tight‑knit Texas community is reeling after 25‑year‑old Tabetha Lynn Neely was found dead inside her vehicle submerged in the Guadalupe River at Riverside Park late Thursday night. Loved ones, police and neighbors are still trying to make sense of what happened, and the air is thick with sadness.
Police in Victoria responded to an emergency call in the 300 block of McCright Drive, just across from the local golf course where Riverside Park meets the water’s edge. When officers reached the scene, they found a vehicle partly underwater in the river. Inside was Tabetha Neely, the only occupant, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Family members remembered Tabetha as a devoted mother to a young son and a loving wife whose warmth and laughter lit up every room she entered. In the hours after her body was recovered, her relatives leaned on each other and shared stories of her generosity, her toughness and the way she made everyday life feel special. Those who knew her speak of a life cut far too short.
Riverside Park, a familiar stretch of green along the Guadalupe River where people picnic, walk their dogs and fish at sunset, has become the backdrop for a community’s grief. What should have been a peaceful place for local families now holds a painful memory.
Victoria Police Department has said the investigation into the cause of the crash is still active. So far, officials have not released details about how Tabetha’s vehicle ended up in the river, or what might have led her there that night. Detectives are reviewing evidence, speaking with potential witnesses and piecing together her final hours.
Friends and neighbors gathered Friday at Riverside Park to place flowers and hold one another close. Many left notes and photos, honoring Tabetha’s life and expressing how deeply she will be missed. Parents talked quietly about the fragility of life. Children played at a distance, unaware of the grief swirling around them.
In a statement, the Victoria Police Department and local leaders offered condolences to the Neely family, urging anyone with information about the crash to come forward and assist with the investigation. For now, the community stands together, mourning one of its own and trying to make sense of a tragic loss.
