Texas teen charged with helping girlfriend commit suicide is 'exemplary college student,' family says
Texas teenager Zander Tashman, who is charged with aiding his girlfriend Ellyse Suarez's suicide in November 2023, is denying any involvement in her death.
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Texas police have arrested an 18-year-old man for allegedly helping his 17-year-old girlfriend commit suicide in November 2023.
Zander Tashman is charged with aiding suicide, and he is being held on $10,000 bond.
Frisco Police Department officers responded to 8000 McKinney Road on Nov. 20, 2023, after receiving reports of a deceased person in a pond at Frisco Commons Park, according to a press release.
"After an exhaustive investigation, evidence collected in the case indicated that 18-year-old Zander Tashman of Frisco aided the deceased, his 17-year-old girlfriend, in committing suicide," police said. "Subsequently, Detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest, and Tashman was taken into custody on February 18, 2024."
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The deceased was later identified as Ellyse Suarez.
Suzare'z obituary states that she "was strong in her own beliefs and would never leave anyone behind or left alone."
"She was never afraid to speak her mind, especially when she felt others needed a voice and often was the first to stand up for others and defend what was right. Ellyse had a dark sense of humor which added to her uniqueness and sarcasm was like a second language," her obituary states.
The 17-year-old also loved animals and wore "self-made" fashion.
Suarez began dating Tashman when she was a sophomore in high school, and she was a senior at the time of her death, her mother, identified only as Azucena, told WFAA.
Tashman's attorney, Reynie Tinajero, said the 18-year-old defendant and his family "wish this horrible tragedy had never taken place" in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"I’m sorry authorities made a poor and probably emotional choice to blame Zander and to do so in a public way. We’ll be making our case in a court of law. Zander is an exemplary college student with no prior history of criminal behavior. Zander is innocent," Tinajero said.
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Azucena told WFAA that her daughter came to her for help about six weeks before her death, saying she was "depressed." Azucena put her daughter in counseling and therapy, but Suarez said she felt like it wasn't making a big difference.
"I minimized it," Azucena told the outlet.
Now, she hopes her daughter's story helps bring awareness to other parents who may have children who are struggling with mental health.
"I hope and I pray that the justice system does what they need to do to make kids understand that saying nothing is not OK, and doing something to help someone that you know is not OK, is also not OK. Your words, your actions matter," she told WFAA.
Aiding suicide is a state jail felony punishable by up to two years or less than 180 days in prison, as well as a fine of up to $10,000.
"The Frisco Police Department encourages those who know someone struggling with their mental health and contemplating suicide to be their voice and seek help for them," Frisco police said in the press release.