CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A family is holding out hope in the search for a loved one, while an important link to her disappearance is now gone.

The man Letitia Lane was last seen with was killed in a police standoff Friday in Clarksville.

Lane’s family told News 2 they didn’t know about James Vaughn’s criminal background. He was convicted on drug charges and assault in the past. He was also linked to a murder in 1995 – that conviction was later thrown out.

Despite his long criminal past, the family said they believe Letitia is still alive.

“It’s just very painful,” Letitia’s mother, Wilma Taylor, said.

She said it’s been 10 days since she and her daughter last spoke.

“Our hearts are weeping for her return, you know. We all love and miss her and want to find her,” Taylor said.

She said her 46-year-old daughter left to have dinner with her ex-boyfriend on March 10.

“She left with somebody she knew and trusted, she thought and that’s the last we seen or heard from her,” Taylor said.

When police went to talk to Vaughn about Letitia’s disappearance it ended in deadly gunfire.

“You know my heart just skipped two beats, because he was the only person that could give us factual information as to where she is so we could go get her and he withheld that information so it was disheartening to say the least,” Taylor said.

While the heartbroken mother now knows the man police killed was linked to a murder over 20 years ago, she said she believes her daughter is still alive.

“I realize and understand that the police are dealing with this as a homicide, but we don’t believe my daughter is dead. We all have all kinds of faith and hope that she’s still alive and in our hearts still alive and that he has her somewhere stashed, you know I don’t know he has her somewhere.”

The family has hired a private investigator to help in their search. Right now they are looking for Vaughn’s truck, a white 2014 Chevy Silverado with Tennessee tag T84-026.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with the search.

Metro police told News 2 they are investigating Letitia’s disappearance as a missing persons case and they do believe foul play is involved.