MADISON, Wis. -- A longtime activist and volunteer in Madison's gay community was killed overnight in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Felicia Melton-Smyth was vacationing with a group of about 20 people from the Madison area.

Travel agent, Terry Halverson, who arranged the trip, confirmed that Melton-Smyth was killed in her hotel room at the Brisas Del Mar.

Eric Finhert, Melton-Smyth's closest friend and the executor of her will, said the suspect in the case is in police custody. He said the suspect was a man and that according to authorities, wasn't a local.

The news of Melton-Smyth's death spread quickly through Madison's LGBT community. Many friends spent the day at the Shamrock Pub in downtown Madison, where Melton-Smyth worked part-time.

Friends like Dan Leamy said Melton-Smyth was a tireless advocate for the AIDS Network in Madison. She was best known for selling paper Christmas bulbs to raise money for holiday gifts and toys for adults and children living with HIV and AIDS.

"That was kind of her legacy," said Leamy "This was the last year she was doing it and she was passing on the reign to another person."

Melton-Smyth also volunteered as a crew member in the annual AIDS Ride.

Players in the LGBT Summer Softball League said she was their best cheerleader, present for every game with her pom-poms and million-dollar smile. She also served as the SSBL – Madison Community service chairman.

"What little bit of volunteering a person can has a huge impact on our community. Sure, it's easy to give a dollar to an organization, but putting time in to help someone is an incredibly rewarding feeling, " Melton-Smyth said in a statement on the LGBT softball Web site.

"If she were here fight now, if she were looking over us she'd be like, 'It's Memorial Day, and there are military veterans that have lost their lives. I'm not a hero.' But in my eyes she was," said co-worker and close friend Leamy.

"She was just one of those people who would give and give and give and didn't want anything in return," said Leamy. "Just as long as she could make someone smile, that was Felicia's life. She wanted to make people happy."

There is no word yet on when Melton-Smyth's body will be brought back from Mexico.

According to friends, Melton-Smyth's father has legal power of attorney and will have to make arrangements through the U.S. Consulate in Mexico.

Finhert said Melton-Smyth was highly organized. She had all of her funeral arrangements detailed in her will. Finhert said she wanted a party, a celebration of her life complete with music and toys for the holiday drive.

Finhert said those arrangements are still pending. Friends can keep tabs on those arrangements through the Shamrock's Web site.

Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.