Mom, sister of slain UVA lacrosse player testify in lawsuit

The mother of a former women’s lacrosse player at the University of Virginia broke into tears during her testimony as she described the moment when she learned her daughter was dead

The mother of a former women's lacrosse player at the University of Virginia broke into tears during her testimony Thursday as she described the moment when she learned her daughter was dead.

Sharon Love said she thought at first that her daughter had been in a traffic accident, adding that she never thought Yeardley Love would be murdered, WVIR reported.

Sharon Love, the administrator of her daughter’s estate, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against George Huguely V, who was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2010 killing of Yeardley Love, his on-again, off-again girlfriend. Huguely, who also played lacrosse at UVA, took the stand Wednesday in his only day inside the Charlottesville courtroom.

The lawsuit seeks $29.5 million in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages.

Yeardley’s sister and brother-in-law also testified Thursday. Lexie Love Hodges said that when she got the call of her sister’s death she thought, “That’s it? I’ll never see her again?” and said when she first met Huguely she thought “he was sloppy.”

Lexie's husband, Jamison Hodges, said it was “nonstop bawling” in the days after Yeardley's death.

Members of the jury also became emotional as they listened to the testimony.

Closing arguments in the trial, which began Monday, are expected next week.