Slain Student's Accused Murderer Released

Parrish was a Boulder native who started at the University of Kansas but transferred home to the University of Colorado in Boulder, according to an obituary provided by his family. He was a junior geography major who spent a semester during his sophomore year studying abroad in Morocco. During the fall semester, Parrish achieved a 4.0 grade point average.

Parrish was a junior geography major who spent a semester during his sophomore year studying abroad in Morocco. Here, he is pictured in the northern African country.

(Handout Photo)

"David had a wry sense of humor, which continually entertained his many, many friends and a keen sense of aesthetics, which lives on in the many photographs he has left us," the family wrote. Relatives described the college student as an impeccable dresser who collected "unusual" shoes and traveled to Europe, southern Africa, Japan and Thailand in addition to his semester in Morocco. He was also a sports fan and an enthusiastic athlete.

"Truth with humor and kindness, justice with love and fairness, and beauty in all things," the family wrote, "these were David's principles and how his family will remember him."

G.P. "Bud" Peterson, the Colorado chancellor, said in a statement, "A loss of any one of our students is deeply felt here, but the loss of such a visionary student is nearly unbearable."

Graaff lectures on ethics and sustainability at the university's Leeds School of Business. A native of South Africa, according to a profile on the university Web site, Graaff describes herself as "passionate about sustainable development and social change."

"I continue to challenge myself to develop the inner and outer capacities for living an integrated and sustainable life," Graaff writes. A photograph shows the woman with her son and daughter, identified in the obituary as Lesley.

A university spokesman told ABC News the family, including father Stephen Parrish, has declined any comment on the case but said Graaff has been in contact with some of her colleagues.

Parrish's death is the first reported fatal shooting of an American tourist traveling in Puerto Vallarta, according to the U.S. Embassy. Of more than 1 million Americans who visited the Mexican port city along the country's western coastline last year, there were only 12 reports of violence.