Rio Grande Valley Candlelight Vigil Honors National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims
Families and friends gather for a candlelight vigil in the Rio Grande Valley to honor homicide victims and seek justice for their loved ones.
Published September 26, 2024
On National Remembrance Day of Homicide Victims, families and friends gathered in the Rio Grande Valley to remember their loved ones lost to violence. The emotional event took place at the Jose Salinas Memorial Recreation Center, where candles were lit in honor of those who were murdered. The vigil was hosted by Rio Grande Valley Family and Friends of Murder Victims, an organization dedicated to providing support for families impacted by homicide.
A Community of Support
The event, marking its 12th year, was attended by several Hidalgo County officials and law enforcement representatives. Founded by Roberto Garcia after his brother was murdered in 2011, the organization has helped more than a thousand individuals by offering emotional support, crisis interventions, and advocacy for survivors of homicide victims.
“We created this organization for my brother not to die in vain and because there were no resources for homicide survivors like us,” said Garcia, reflecting on his family’s journey.
Ongoing Pain for Families
The vigil highlighted the deep and enduring pain that homicide survivors carry. Garcia shared a poignant memory from his mother, who spoke of the unbreakable bond she had with her son.
“My mother always told me, ‘I cry for your brother because of the pain caused by the violence, but also because I carried him for nine months and we had that connection.'”
The gathering served not only as a memorial but also as a platform for families to share their grief and experiences.
A Mother’s Fight for Justice
Martha Rangel was among the attendees, honoring her daughter Jolissa, who was murdered in 2013. Jolissa left behind a two-and-a-half-year-old son. Rangel recalled her daughter’s compassionate nature, remembering her work at DHR, where she loved helping others.
“She was a fighter and she always helped people,” said Rangel.
Next month marks 11 years since Jolissa’s death, yet no arrests have been made in her case. Rangel continues to fight for justice for her daughter and for other victims.
“We’re pushing for justice. Jolissa deserves it, and so do all the others.”
Support for Families
The vigil also provided an opportunity to remind families of the Crime Victims Compensation Program, which helps cover financial costs related to counseling, funerals, and medical treatment for crime victims. Those in need can contact the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Crime Victims Unit for support at (956) 383-8114.
As the evening closed, the flicker of candles represented both the grief and the hope that families carry as they continue their fight for justice for their loved ones.
On National Remembrance Day of Homicide Victims, families and friends gathered in the Rio Grande Valley to remember their loved ones lost to violence. The emotional event took place at the Jose Salinas Memorial Recreation Center, where candles were lit in honor of those who were murdered. The vigil was hosted by Rio Grande Valley Family and Friends of Murder Victims, an organization dedicated to providing support for families impacted by homicide.
A Community of Support
The event, marking its 12th year, was attended by several Hidalgo County officials and law enforcement representatives. Founded by Roberto Garcia after his brother was murdered in 2011, the organization has helped more than a thousand individuals by offering emotional support, crisis interventions, and advocacy for survivors of homicide victims.
“We created this organization for my brother not to die in vain and because there were no resources for homicide survivors like us,” said Garcia, reflecting on his family’s journey.
Ongoing Pain for Families
The vigil highlighted the deep and enduring pain that homicide survivors carry. Garcia shared a poignant memory from his mother, who spoke of the unbreakable bond she had with her son.
“My mother always told me, ‘I cry for your brother because of the pain caused by the violence, but also because I carried him for nine months and we had that connection.'”
The gathering served not only as a memorial but also as a platform for families to share their grief and experiences.
A Mother’s Fight for Justice
Martha Rangel was among the attendees, honoring her daughter Jolissa, who was murdered in 2013. Jolissa left behind a two-and-a-half-year-old son. Rangel recalled her daughter’s compassionate nature, remembering her work at DHR, where she loved helping others.
“She was a fighter and she always helped people,” said Rangel.
Next month marks 11 years since Jolissa’s death, yet no arrests have been made in her case. Rangel continues to fight for justice for her daughter and for other victims.
“We’re pushing for justice. Jolissa deserves it, and so do all the others.”
Support for Families
The vigil also provided an opportunity to remind families of the Crime Victims Compensation Program, which helps cover financial costs related to counseling, funerals, and medical treatment for crime victims. Those in need can contact the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Crime Victims Unit for support at (956) 383-8114.
As the evening closed, the flicker of candles represented both the grief and the hope that families carry as they continue their fight for justice for their loved ones.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
