Betsy Robles.Photo: GoFundMe

Florida Mom Shot to Death, Betsy Robles

During a press conference last week, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco announced a heavily built suspect wearing a mask and all dark clothing kicked down the door of a New Port Richey, Fla., apartment, while the people inside were asleep, just hours after Halloween.

Nocco called the shooting “targeted,” and said upon entering the apartment, the shooter went directly to the victim’s room, where he “flipped on the (light) switch.” Upon entering the home, he passed another woman who was sleeping on the couch and went straight to the room, authorities said.

“The victim was lying in bed with two young children,” he told reporters. “The suspect points a gun directly at her, she sits up.”

She allegedly begged the gunman “don’t shoot me,” before she was fired on twice, Nocco said.

The suspect then fled, according to Nocco.

“For these young kids, I can imagine, they were out last night trick-or-treating. I can imagine they went to bed a little later like all the kids did last night, but… to be woken up; to have a suspect walk in, turn that light on, and shoot the person in the bed with them, it’s horrific,” he added.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

“She didn’t deserve this at all,” Robles' best friend Marie Hicks told the station.

“I feel for her son,” Hicks said. “I feel for her. I try to picture what fear she felt at that moment.”

“I can’t believe that someone will be so disgusting and cold-hearted to shoot a woman that’s defenseless in a bed with two children next to her,” Hicks said per the outlet.

According to aGoFundMeorganized to help defray funeral costs, Robles leaves behind a 3-year-old boy.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office at (800) 706-2488.

source: people.com