A family photo of Summer Garas, 25, back right, and her four children, from the left; Autumn Rust 6, Kirsten Rust, 7, Evynn Garas, 3, and Teagin Rust, 4, is seen in El Reno, Okla. on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009. Garas and her four young children were found dead in their central O=klahoma apartment Monday, and authorities Tuesday were searching for her 25-year-old boyfriend as the suspect. The man in photo is not identified. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams via Garas family)
A Carson City mother is grieving after her daughter and four grandchildren were found murdered Monday in Oklahoma, allegedly at the hands of the daughter's boyfriend.
Susan Rust of Carson City said she learned of her daughter Summer's murder Monday afternoon through friends from her hometown of El Reno, Okla.
Summer Rust, 25, and children Kirsten, 8; Autumn, 7; Meagan, 4; and Evynn, 3, were found strangled Monday in Summer's apartment in the town of 16,000, 30 miles west of Oklahoma City.
An arrest warrant for five counts of first-degree murder was issued by Oklahoma authorities for Summer Rust's boyfriend, Joshua Steven Durcho, 25.
Durcho was captured in Texas on Tuesday night after a car accident, authorities said.
Durcho was taken into custody in Texas' Hamilton County, said Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jessica Brown.
Susan said her daughter recently split up with Durcho, whom she'd dated for about eight months.
Susan and her sons Tanner, 18, and Dylan, 16, will begin a
1,600-mile journey to El Reno today on borrowed money to make arrangements to bury her only daughter and grandchildren.
"I spoke to her every day, several times a day. She was my heart," she said.
Through her work at Snap-On Tools, Susan has helped raise money for Advocates to End Domestic Violence in Carson City. She's vowed to not let her daughter's death be in vain.
"I am going to use this to bring awareness to just how serious domestic violence is. It could happen to anybody," she said.
"We were saying this kind of stuff only happens on TV or it happens to other people," she said. "But it happens to us and now they're gone. That fast. Babies and all."
Friend Diane Swords said Susan is most concerned about keeping Summer and the children together " even in death. Three men fathered the four children. Susan said other grandparents have expressed a desire to take control of their grandchild's burials, possibly even have them buried in separate cemeteries.
"She said she'll be damned if they are separated now," Swords said.
"They are not going to start parting them out," said Susan. "I know how hard she fought as a single mom. As hard as I fought."
Susan said Summer's life had been getting better in recent weeks. The young mother had recently secured grant money to attend college .
"She wanted to be a social worker and counsel women for domestic violence," Susan said. "She's still going to help them."
Swords has set up an account to help Susan with funeral costs. Donations can be made at any Bank of America Branch to The Summer Rust and Children Memorial Fund, Acct. No. 501007424971.
"When I moved out here six years ago, I tried to get Summer to come live with me. And she almost did. Then she had second thoughts because all her friends were there in Oklahoma. So she struggled and scrimped and did everything. But she did it on her own. She wanted to raise her kids there in a nice little quiet suburb," said Susan.
"I wish I would have hog tied her now."
Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.
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