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'Better Than Going To A Gravesite': Mural Immortalizes Isabella Thallas

DENVER (CBS4) - A new mural will serve as a place of healing for the family of a woman shot and killed while walking her dog. A gunman killed Isabella Thallas last week in the ballpark neighborhood, just days after she turned 21 years old.

A local artist, known as Detour, tells CBS4 he actually met Isabella three weeks ago through her boyfriend and wanted to do something in her honor after learning about her death.

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He reached out for a picture of her, and on Monday, started a mural near the corner of 17th and Park Avenues. On Tuesday, Thallas' friends and family came to the area to see Detour's progress on the mural.

"My heart sunk, it was so beautiful," said Josh Thallas, Isabella's father. "I turned the corner and it's absolutely amazing. It depicts her to a 'T.'"

The mural, which has been painted on the side of Talulah Jones, is full of vibrant colors and roses. Family members said its aesthetic reflects the way Isabella lived her life.

"She was a fashionista, she was a traveler, she was a free spirit, a free soul," said Ana Thallas, Isabella's mother. "This is a true representation of my daughter in the purest form, and I can't thank this man enough."

Next to the mural is a blue wall where people can paint their own messages for Isabella and her family. By Tuesday evening, there were already a few dozen messages on the wall.

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The permanence of the mural and nearby messages give family a chance at finding peace, and a way to see the outpouring of love and support for Isabella.

"It's not something to get scrubbed off in a couple of months," said Josh Thallas. "It's here for the city to see and just absolutely pure love."

"This is so much better than going to a gravesite to visit my daughter," said Ana Thallas. "It's healing. This is a glimpse of hope to show that not everybody in this world is not as evil as that man who brutally murdered her."

During a break from painting, Detour said he hopes the mural stands the test of time and becomes a place where family can visit and Denverites can learn about Isabella's story.

"I want to make sure there's at least something in the public eye that people can see and look at to remember her and also to discover her down the line," he said.

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(credit: CBS)

One of the more notable moments that happened Tuesday afternoon was when Detour brought out a second ladder for Isabella's younger sister Lucia. Friends and family watched and took pictures as the two worked together to paint Isabella's eyelashes on the mural.

Josh Thallas said family members called Isabella Bugsy because of her eyelashes.

"It's a great healing for her too," He said. "I think to be involved and partake in something so amazing for her sister."

Ana Thallas tells CBS4 she will visit the mural often. She also has an idea for the adjacent park.

"This park is called no name park. With her right here, I would love for it to be called Bella gardens," Thallas said.

This Wednesday, the family will hold a memorial service for Isabella at Church in the City on Gaylord Street at 10 a.m. The service is open to the public and will be live-streamed on the church's Facebook page, family said.

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