NORWOOD, Ohio — When the Norwood Skyline Chili reopened Thursday morning, customers returned to a restaurant forever changed.
Flowers, cards and photographs honoring Alyssa "Ally" Hill remained near the entrance as regulars stopped by to mourn the longtime server killed Tuesday whom many described as the heart of the restaurant.
Among them was David Thompson, who visits the Montgomery Road restaurant twice a week.
"It's like losing a family member," Thompson said. "In fact, I probably seen her more than half of my family members."
Hill, a 27-year-old mother of two, was fatally stabbed while working at the restaurant Tuesday afternoon. Norwood police arrested 37-year-old Rick Wright near the scene, charging him with her murder. Hill's loved ones described Wright as someone she had dated briefly several years ago.
Wright is being held without bond in the Hamilton County Justice Center.
WATCH: Norwood mourns beloved Skyline waitress as community rallies around her family
For restaurant owner Stephen Misleh, reopening the location was about beginning the healing process for employees still grappling with what happened.
"We are a family," Misleh said. "The healing begins when you get back on and you go. It's got nothing to do with financing or any of that issue. It has to do with trying to heal and learn how to cope with this."
Though Misleh was not at the restaurant when the stabbing happened, he said surveillance video shows Wright entering the restaurant shortly after noon Tuesday and sitting in a booth near the server station.
Within moments, Misleh said, Hill was entering an order when Wright allegedly approached her from behind and attacked her, stabbing her twice with a Bowie-style knife, before running out of the restaurant. Customers and employees immediately rushed to help, and several people chased the suspect outside.
"It happened within seconds," Misleh said.
The violence stunned employees and customers alike at a restaurant long known as a gathering place in Norwood.
"We are entrenched in the community. We are part of Norwood, and Norwood is a part of us," Misleh said. "It's a family."
Hill had worked at the restaurant for more than two years.
Customers described her as warm, welcoming and deeply devoted to her children.
"Beautiful young lady," Thompson said. "Seemed to love her children. Breaks my heart."
Thompson said Hill was one of the employees he saw during nearly every visit.
Thompson said he first learned something was wrong Tuesday when he arrived at the restaurant and found a large police presence outside. He later learned Hill had been stabbed, but he didn't know she had passed away until he showed up for lunch Thursday and saw the memorial outside.
"It'd be hard to fill her shoes," Thompson said. "You can always find another employee, but you can't find an employee with class, dignity and professionalism and kindness and love."
Friends have shared similar memories of Hill.
Longtime friend Kayla Elliot previously described her as high-spirited, sweet, hardworking and independent. Elliot said Hill was a devoted mother who also helped care for her father while working nearly every day at Skyline Chili.
As the community mourns, Misleh has become increasingly vocal about what he believes are failures in the criminal justice system.
Court documents show Wright had an active warrant at the time of the killing after a probation violation tied to a February 2025 assault case in which prosecutors said he attempted to attack a Norwood police officer.
During Wright's arraignment Wednesday, Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Sarah McMahon cited his prior convictions for assault, drug trafficking and menacing while arguing he should be held without bond.
"A member of our community is dead," McMahon told the court. "The victim in this matter's name is Alyssa Hill. She was a mother, she's a daughter, she was a co-worker and a friend."
Misleh said learning more about Wright's criminal history has left him angry and searching for answers.
"How can you leave a guy on the street with this record of violence and this long record and think that it's OK for him to be out in public?" Misleh said.
The restaurant owner is now calling for a public meeting with elected leaders, judges and law enforcement officials to discuss the case and broader concerns about repeat violent offenders.
"I don't want statements," Misleh said. "I want answers, and I want action."
He said the emotions inside the restaurant remain a mixture of grief and frustration.
"The scars are not going to go away," Misleh said. "There's no playbook for this."
In the meantime, support for Hill's family continues to grow.
Skyline Chili and Coca-Cola Consolidated have each donated $25,000 to a fund for Hill's children. The Norwood Skyline will also donate 20% of its sales from June 8 through June 15 to the fund.
Skyline Chili created a GoFundMe campaign for people to donate to if they cannot make it to the Norwood location next week.
Counselors from Talbert House have met with employees, and local clergy have visited the restaurant to support workers coping with the loss.
Misleh said the community response has reflected the close-knit nature of both the restaurant and the city it serves.
"We're going to rally as a community," Misleh said. "Norwood strong — they show it every day. We're very proud to be in Norwood."
For Thompson, the outpouring of support reflects the impact Hill had on countless people who knew her only through a bowl of chili and a friendly conversation.
"When somebody hits your heart like that," he said, "it just shakes you."
