Lydia Anne Farina, a 31-year-old woman from Killeen, Texas, tragically lost her life on February 22, 2015. Lydia was born on January 3, 1984, at Fort Hood, Texas. She was a loving wife and mother, survived by her husband Michael A. Farina Sr. and their four children: Kirsten , Michael Jr. , Emily , and Johnny Wayne . Lydia was known for her open heart and willingness to help anyone in need.
She was a devoted friend and family member who cherished her loved ones deeply.
On the night of February 22, 2015, Lydia Farina was attempting to protect her family and help her friend Dawn Giffa and Dawn's son Keoni when she was fatally shot. The incident occurred in Killeen, Texas, and involved a Fort Hood soldier named Ata-Se Giffa. Ata-Se Giffa, a 30-year-old automated logistics specialist assigned to the 1st Battalion, 62nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Hood, had been stationed there since January 2014. On the night of the incident, Giffa fatally shot Lydia Farina and another neighbor, Larry Guzman, 40, before turning the weapon on his wife, Dawn Giffa, 28, and himself. A fifth victim, a 41-year-old woman who has not been identified, was also shot and transported to Baylor Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, where she was listed in serious condition.
The Killeen Police Department and the Army's Criminal Investigations Division launched an investigation into the incident. Officers responded to a 911 domestic disturbance report at 10:26 p.m. on February 22, 2015, in the 1700 block of Godman Street in Killeen. Upon arrival, they found Lydia Farina and Larry Guzman dead from gunshot wounds. Witnesses informed the police that an armed man had fled with his wife to their home. The police heard gunshots from the residence and deployed a Tactical Response Team, which attempted to communicate with Ata-Se and Dawn Giffa. At approximately 12:30 a.m., after receiving no response, the team entered the home and found that Ata-Se Giffa had apparently shot his wife and then himself.
This tragic event was part of a series of high-profile multiple shootings involving Fort Hood soldiers in recent years. The incident left the community in shock and mourning, as they remembered Lydia Farina as a loving mother, wife, and friend who was taken too soon while trying to protect those she cared about.
