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Roy • Tears flowed Tuesday night in Roy as friends lit candles and children wrote goodbyes to a young family that died this weekend in an apparent murder-suicide.

Those close to the Smith family expressed only warm memories of 30-year-old Russell Smith, who, police say, shot his wife and two children on Father's Day before turning the gun on himself. His final acts stand in baffling contrast to the adoring father and husband whose kids had him "wrapped around their fingers" and who posted affectionate family videos on Facebook, friends said.

"He was amazing," said family friend Jessica Jex, who worked with Smith's wife, Shawna, and was close to Russell and their children, 6-year-old Tylee and 2-year-old Blake. "He never laid a finger on [Shawna]. I don't even think he raised his voice at his kids."

Friend Kelle Nielsen said she checked multiple news reports to confirm the victims' identities, convinced they could not be the happy family she knew. Even Shawna Smith's mother, Sheila Pruitt, described Russell Smith as "a loving father" who had been with her daughter for nine years without any sign of trouble.

Police on Tuesday confirmed they had never been called to the Smiths' home, near 2100 W. 4750 South, and there was no documented history of violence or problems with the couple.

On Tuesday night, memorial gifts filled the lawn as about 200 people gathered for a candlelight vigil and balloon release. A large group of present and former employees of Busy Bee Playhouse child care facility in Roy hugged and sobbed as they recalled years spent working with Shawna Smith, who was an assistant director there, and her children, who attended the day care.

"The kids loved Shawna," said Hillary Gentry. "Every time Shawna came down the hall, they'd yell, 'Shawna! Shawna!' "

Six-year-old Tylee was charming and smart, Gentry said.

"If she didn't want to take a nap, she'd say, 'Could you come tickle my back for awhile?' and then she'd talk and talk and talk," Gentry recalled.

Karly Dye said she'll remember 2-year-old Blake's excitement to pick out his own Halloween costume.

"He wanted to be Spider-Man," Dye said, crying. "He was so cute."

Friends and family wrote memories on three paper lanterns, one to be released for each of the three shooting victims. But Russell Smith's face figured prominently in photo displays placed on the ground for signatures and wishes.

"This doesn't define who he was," Jex said.

Roy Police Lt. Kevin Smith said they don't expect to receive autopsy results for weeks or maybe months. The lieutenant said Tuesday that investigators have no new information to publicly release, but said their investigation is moving forward.

Police were called to the Smith home on a report of an assault at about 10 p.m. Sunday. The call was made by a family member who had last heard from Shawna Smith via text message about 1 p.m. and had become concerned when he had not heard from her in hours.

Kevin Smith has not disclosed where in the home the bodies were found or what type of gun was used in the shootings.

Police also would not say in what order they believe Russell Smith may have shot his 26-year-old wife and their children.

According to a search of Weber County records, the couple had lived at the home since 2009. According to his social media profile, Russell Smith worked at defense contractor L-3 Communications.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to cover funeral costs, as has a memorial account for the Smith family at America First Credit Union.

The Smiths' deaths mark the fifth time since 2013 that the perpetrator of a Utah murder-suicide killed two or more family members before taking his or her life.

Those with violence in the home can contact the Utah Domestic Violence Council at 1-800-897-LINK or at udvc.org. Free and confidential help is available 24 hours a day.

—Reporter Jessica Miller contributed to this story

Twitter: @erinalberty