A candlelight vigil for a 21-year-old transgender woman who was killed in Wellington has begun.
Zenith Campbell, who preferred to be called Zena, was found dead in a car in Aro Valley on February 11 after her partner Paddy Jonathan Woods, 30, allegedly strangled her.
Woods has pleaded not guilty to murder and is awaiting trial.
Read more: 'Murder' victim Zenith Campbell was just getting life together, aunt says
A vigil for Campbell is being held at 6pm in Civic Square.
Zena's family are at the vigil tonight in support of her, including her father Chris Campbell.
Campbell questioned why Woods was given bail.
Kevin Haunui from Tiwhanawhana would be opening the vigil tonight.
He is part of an organisation supporting LGBT people in Wellington, and said he was here to "acknowledge Zena's passing" and support the community.
He did not know Zena but felt it was important to acknowledge her death.
Wellington City Councillor Brian Dawson said he lived in Aro Valley, where Zena's body was found.
"This is horrendous and tragic and there's no other words for it but that," he said.
"Every life that is stolen by violence steals just a little bit of light from the world around us.
"Truth will always beat falsehood, love will always beat hate, and light will always beat darkness in the end."
Green MP Jan Logie also spoke at the vigil, giving her condolences over the death.
One woman who said she was a youth worker for Zena at one stage said she was "just an incredible ball of energy".
"I don't think we will ever meet anyone quite like her . . . She will be dearly missed."
Organiser Bella Simpson said it was important to acknowledge Campbell's death, "that we say her name and give our community an opportunity to mourn together and to come together and remind each other how beautiful our transwhanau are".
"We're not America where transwomen are consistently getting murdered and everyone's turning a blind eye. This is Wellington.
"This is not something that we stand for. It's not something that I'd say is within our values of who we are as a cultural, diverse city."
Simpson said the vigil was also about moving forward and showing members of the transgender community they were supported and loved.
"We've lost someone from our family, we're going to come together and we're going to take over some space and we're going to hold that space for each other."
"I know this will be an incredibly difficult time for them and they've got my full support and the city's support."
Where to get Help:
• OUTLine NZ http://www.outline.org.nz/
• RainbowYOUTH https://www.ry.org.nz/
• Gender Minorities Aotearoa https://genderminorities.com/
The main on Carbine Rd burst at 11.13am.