Family, friends remember Rutherford

By Melissa Martin-Simmons

The two-story townhouse sits on the end of Fox Run Court in Reisterstown, Md. One square window with black panes is boarded up on each floor. Crime tape blows gently from a tree adjacent to the home.

Kendra Michelle Rutherford, a 35-year-old West Virginia native, lived here before a one-alarm fire killed her and her unborn child on Dec. 8. Her husband, 41-year-old Anthony Rutherford, has been charged with first-degree murder and arson, police said. 

“She was my best friend,” said Tony Robertson, Rutherford’s bother. “I’ll never have the same relationship with anybody again.” 

Baltimore County police and firefighters responded to her home at 3 p.m. on Dec. 8. They found Rutherford unresponsive on the first floor and took her to Northwest Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to a Baltimore County police report.

Her memorial service was held Dec. 16 at Brown Funeral Home in West Virginia.

Police said that on Jan. 24 Rutherford’s death was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation and detectives arrested Anthony Rutherford.  He is being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center.

The couple was married for 13 years, according to Robertson. They have a 4-year-old daughter, Alyssa Renee Rutherford, and they were expecting another child, Rutherford’s obituary said.

“Kendra wanted a boy and thought this baby was a boy,” said Caroline Corbin Balser, a friend and former classmate. “Sadly, he was and his name was Noah.”

Balser and Rutherford attended elementary and high school together. They both moved from Martinsburg, W.Va., but kept in touch on Facebook. Rutherford told Balser about the pregnancy over the site. That was the last time they communicated.

“[Kendra] was amazing,” she said. “I could call her now and ask her for help. Kendra never said a bad word about anyone.”

Balser also remembers the good times she had with Rutherford.

“My favorite memory of Kendra is talking and laughing about our daughter’s wild curly hair,” she said. “She loved being with and spending time with Alyssa.”

Robertson also said that Kendra was a good person.

“She’d take the shirt off her back for anybody,” he said. “She was very friendly and full of life.”

Since Rutherford’s death, Robertson and his parents have made Alyssa their number one priority.

A trust fund was established at My Bank First United. Donations can be made in Maryland and West Virginia c/o the Alyssa Renee Rutherford Fund. The money will go towards college expenses and replacing what was lost in the fire, Robertson said.

In addition, the Robertson’s are trying get custody of Alyssa Rutherford, who lives with Anthony Rutherford’s parents. A mediation session will be held on March 3, according to a Maryland Judiciary Case Search. The civil non jury case is March 26.

Robertson, who has a 2, 10 and 11 year old, wants Alyssa to have the same memories he had with his sister.

“I remember going to the beach with Kendra when we were kids. Now I take my kids there,” he said.

The Robertson are doing their best to help Alyssa Rutherford understand what happened.

“She [Alyssa] misses her mom,” Robertson said. “She left a candy cane under the tree for her mother on Christmas.”