Crime Special Ed Teacher Who 'Went the Extra Mile' for Students Is Killed, and Family Says Suspect Is Ex Melissa Wright, 41, was found shot to death Saturday morning By Chris Harris Chris Harris Twitter Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. An award-winning journalist who has worked for Rolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. People Editorial Guidelines Published on June 2, 2021 10:10 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Melissa Wright. Photo: Cherry Creek Schools This week, a Denver, Colo., suburb is mourning the loss of a beloved special education teacher who was killed Friday night, allegedly by her 49-year-old ex-boyfriend. Melissa Wright, 41, was found shot to death in the city's Lowry Field neighborhood Saturday morning, according to Denver Police. She was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot multiple times. Late Sunday, police arrested Eric Cobain, who is being held on suspicion of first-degree murder. He has not been formally charged. Relatives told KMGH-TV that Cobain is Wright's ex, and that the couple broke up recently. Eric Cobain. Denver Police Department Wright was a special education teacher, employed by the Cherry Creek School District in Greenwood Village. She worked as a Severe Educational Disability (SED) special education teacher at I-Team Manor, an alternative school within the district system. A profile of Wright on the district's website said she taught math. Wright was honored earlier this year for her life-changing work at I-Team Manor. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. "[Wright] consistently goes the extra mile for her students, whether it's helping them start a business or get access to critical supplies," reads an announcement from March about the recognition. "Melissa has so much empathy and intuition for how to support students I admire that she's always willing to learn more so she can keep growing as a person, which is so inspirational." Wright's mother, Judy Wright, spoke to KMGH-TV, and said Melissa "lived life to the fullest," and that "she worked hard, she studied hard, she played hard, and she loved to travel." Wright is survived by a daughter, Morgan Becwar, who also spoke to the station. "It's been the worst time of my life," Becwar said about the past two days. "I feel like a big chunk of me was taken with her, and I'm never going to get it back." It was unclear Wednesday if Cobain had an attorney. A motive for the killing is not yet known.