A South Dakota woman traveling for the holidays was fatally shot while in her car — and her two children are believed to have witnessed the fatal shooting.

WTVD reports that Melissa Peskey, a South Dakota-based realtor, was driving to North Carolina with her two children, ages 5 and 11, to visit family for the holidays when she was fatally shot in her car. Peskey was reportedly found dead on December 13 in Missouri, on Interstate 70.

Peskey’s two children were in the car when their mother was killed, but they were unharmed. According to the report, authorities believe someone outside the car shot at the mother.

According to the news station KELOLAND, Peskey’s husband was not with the family at the time of the shooting, and he told the news station he had been named a person of interest because he did not answer the phone when authorities first called to inform him of the shooting. He has not yet reunited with his children, and reportedly said he was on his way to Missouri to get them and to retrieve his wife’s body.

Peskey’s husband claimed that his children had been taken into protective custody. Missouri’s Department of Social Services could not discuss the specifics of the case with KELOLAND, but said that typically in these circumstances, children would be given to a relative, except in cases involving a criminal investigation.

Anyone with information about Peskey’s murder is urged to call the Missouri State Highway Patrol at (573) 751-1000.

This is a developing story. CrimeOnline will provide further updates when more information is available.