She Had Been Married for Just 85 Days. Then a Stranger Walked Into Her Workplace on New Year’s Day.

January 1, 2023, was supposed to mark the beginning of a beautiful new chapter for 22-year-old Keris Riebel. Instead, it became the day her family would never forget.

Just 85 days earlier, Keris had married the love of her life, Jordan Riebel, on October 8, 2022.

They were young, newly married, and excited about everything the future might bring. They dreamed of starting a family, building a home filled with love, and growing old together.

They had even welcomed a puppy into their lives.

Everything seemed to be falling into place.

But on New Year’s Day, while millions of people were celebrating fresh beginnings, Keris went to work at a Dollar Tree store in Upper Sandusky, Ohio.

She had no idea that she would never return home.

A normal shift turned into an unimaginable nightmare.

That afternoon, a 27-year-old man named Bethel Bekele entered the store carrying a machete.

What happened next stunned the entire community.

According to investigators, Bekele attacked Keris with the weapon. By the time police arrived, the young woman had died from her injuries.

The suspect was arrested shortly afterward.

There was no celebration waiting for Keris that evening. No quiet dinner with her husband. No chance to talk about their plans for the new year.

Instead, Jordan faced a reality no newlywed should ever have to imagine.

He had lost his wife less than three months after their wedding.

Friends and family remembered Keris as someone whose kindness could brighten an entire room.

She had recently completed her education in human resources and had so much ahead of her.

Those who knew her described her as loving, compassionate, deeply faithful, and always ready with a smile.

Her life wasn’t defined by how it ended, but by the love she gave during the short time she was here.

The tragedy left an entire community grieving and searching for answers.

Why would someone commit such a horrific act against a young woman simply doing her job?

In the immediate aftermath, investigators had not established a clear motive.

But amid the shock and heartbreak, one detail made the story particularly devastating.

Keris and Jordan had barely begun their forever.

They had celebrated their wedding, dreamed about their future, and imagined all the ordinary, beautiful moments that make a marriage special.

A first anniversary. A growing family. Holidays together. Decades of memories.

All of it was suddenly taken away.

Keris was only 22.

And while the world welcomed a new year with hope, her loved ones entered 2023 facing a loss that would change their lives forever.

Some stories remind us how fragile life can be. Keris Riebel’s story reminds us never to take another ordinary day with someone we love for granted.

May she be remembered for the beautiful life she lived, not only for the tragedy that ended it.