Kayla Mueller to be honored in hometown of Prescott

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) - Prescott's courthouse plaza will light up Wednesday with candles in memory of a hometown woman taken hostage by Islamic State militants.

Kayla Mueller's death was confirmed earlier this month by her family and U.S. officials. The 26-year-old international aid worker had been captured in Syria in August 2013.

The militant group claimed she died in an airstrike. The Pentagon rejected that but says it doesn't know how she was killed.

Local churches and community groups have organized a candlelight vigil to reflect on her life and work at 6:30 p.m. at Prescott's Courthouse Square. They're accepting canned food and money to support the needy.

Attendees are also asked to bring their own candles.

From Prescott, Mueller helped raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, and volunteered at a women's shelter. She protested genocide in Darfur from Flagstaff. She also traveled to Palestinian territories, Israel, India and France.