By Linda Kane and Jennifer Rogers, Tribune staff writer

Tammy Hughes, who was killed Wednesday in the home she had shared with her estranged husband, was a dedicated, loving mother to her two young children, a Girl Scout troop leader and a friendly woman who helped her elderly neighbor without being asked.

She was also a woman trying to get away from what relatives, friends and co-workers said was a controlling relationship with her husband, Robert.

Robert Hughes was taken into custody after his wife was found dead and remains in the Freeborn County Jail under suspicion of killing his wife.

Attempts by the Tribune to contact acquaintances or relatives of Robert Michael Hughes were unsuccessful Wednesday.

But Tammy’s cousin said the couple was &uot;having problems&uot; and that Tammy had recently left her husband.

A co-worker of Tammy’s from American Express Financial Advisors in Albert Lea said Tammy’s husband held her captive in their home last week for as many as three days. She said the authorities were notified and no one was arrested.

Though Tammy had photographs of her children in the office, there were none of her husband, according to the co-worker, who also said Tammy was &uot;a totally dedicated mother.&uot;

&uot;She recently tried to get away from (her husband),&uot; the co-worker said.

She described Tammy as &uot;just a very nice person. Very smart. She was quiet.&uot;

Tammy, who had worked at American Express for about six months as an assistant, went to her home at noon on Wednesday to resolve some things with her husband, according to the co-worker and became concerned when she didn’t return.

&uot;She had left and she was just going back to resolve some things with him,&uot; the co-worker said.

&uot;That’s why she was there at noon. She wasn’t living there. The kids were staying with him.&uot;

Tammy had a lot of support from her family and co-workers when she left her husband recently, she said.

&uot;It’s just a real unfortunate incident. I guess I feel that we did what we could to help her, but yet there’s still that empty feeling that you ask yourself if you could have done more to prevent something like this,&uot; the co-worker said.

John McGinnis, an acquaintance of the couple, said Tammy &uot;blossomed&uot; after she was hired at American Express.

&uot;Over the last six months she became more and more confident in herself,&uot; McGinnis said. &uot;The basic confidence you and I live with every day.&uot;

He, too, described her as quiet.

&uot;She wasn’t very sophisticated, but had great common sense, really good business sense that never got tapped into,&uot; he said. &uot;She was really organized, was a great mom. She was learning to be an independent individual.&uot;

An elderly neighbor said the couple seemed happy.

&uot;They were nice neighbors to me,&uot; said the woman, who asked not to be named. &uot;(Tammy) even mowed the lawn for me last Tuesday or Wednesday. I didn’t ask her to do it.&uot;

Tammy had also helped the woman carry groceries into the house at times. The neighbor would chat with Tammy or Robert whenever they were outside, she said, adding the couple had been married nine years.

&uot;They would invite me over when the kids had their birthdays,&uot; the neighbor said. She described them as regular, average people.

&uot;Their home was just like anybody else’s home when you have kids, toys all over. (Tammy) would cook up a real good meal. They were just nice friendly, friendly kids. I imagine she was stressed out because he didn’t have a regular job. He would work maybe a month at a time.&uot;

The neighbor said the Hughes’ visited relatives frequently and enjoyed boating in the summer.

&uot;I liked them both. There were likable people and they were good to me,&uot; she said.