We continue to follow a homicide investigation in the Town of Clay. State Police say a 47-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl were attacked in the parking lot of the Great Northern Mall Thursday night. The woman died after being stabbed several times. The ten-year-old is recovering after being sexually assaulted. Our Candace Hopkins has the latest.

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CLAY, N.Y. -- Lori Bresnahan, 47, and the 10-year-old girl had just left a gymnastics class at the mall just before 9 p.m. when the attack occurred. That's when police say a man they had never met forced them into Bresnahan's car.

The crime played out like a nightmare.

"The suspect bound the woman and raped the child in their vehicle and then drove the victim's car a short distance to Verplank Road in the Town of Clay," said New York State Police Captain Mark Lincoln.

Bresnahan and a ten-year-old girl had just left gymnastics class at the Great Northern Mall Thursday night when they were accosted in the parking lot. After attacking the child, State Police say David Renz, 29, stabbed Bresnahan and then ran off into the woods.

Lincoln said, "The child was able to flee from the vehicle and was assisted by a passing motorist."

First responders rushed Bresnahan to the hospital, where she later died from multiple wounds. Shortly after, authorities had the suspect in custody.

"We had Onondaga County Air One helicopter out, so that was a tremendous resource for us. We also had a K9 track going on. The suspect came out of the woods on an adjoining road and at that point was captured," Lincoln said.

And police say this was a random act of violence.

Lincoln said, "Absolutely no indication that the victim and the suspect knew each other."

Bresnahan was a school librarian at Willowfield Elementary in Liverpool. Friday, the district issued a statement saying they are doing everything they can to support students and staff during this difficult time.

Meanwhile, David Renz has been charged with rape, kidnapping, murder in the first degree and murder in the second degree.

While questions are being asked about the suspect, community members are remembering the victim.

A Facebook page created in memory of Lori Bresnahan has been filled with sympathetic messages and already has thousands of likes. Before working at Willowfield, she was also the librarian at Chestnut Hill Elementary in Liverpool.

Her local connections spread throughout the community, having graduated from SUNY Oswego and earning her Master’s degree at Syracuse University's School of Information Studies. The i-school, as it's known, is in the process of establishing a scholarship in Bresnahan's name, as well as organizing a children's book drive for the Liverpool School District.

State Police held a news conference to give an update on the carjacking. Watch it here:

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