Violent crime victims remembered during El Paso District Attorney's Office ceremony
The names of 1,957 El Pasoans who have died in violent crimes over the past few decades were read during the annual El Paso District Attorney's Office's Crime Victims Reading of the Names ceremony.
The ceremony was held at 8 a.m. Sunday, April 6, at the Crime Victims Memorial at Yucca Park near Yarbrough Drive in El Paso's Lower Valley. The event is part of National Crime Victims' Rights Week, which is observed April 6 through April 12.
The 34th Judicial District is the top law enforcement official in El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson counties.
"The message I want for you all to take away is that you are not alone," El Paso District Attorney James Montoya said during the ceremony. "You are not alone in your loss. This community is here for you. There are others who are here for you. We are here for you."
More than four dozen El Paso victims of violent crimes last year were added to this year's list. Each name was read with a bell being struck after each name. The ceremony lasted nearly three hours. The names included fallen El Paso County Sheriff's Office Deputy Peter Herrera, the victims of alleged 'Desert Killer' David Wood, and the El Paso Walmart mass shooting victims.
The annual event was attended by victims' family members and friends, El Paso community members, district attorney's office staff and local law enforcement officials.
'The assistant district attorneys who are participating in the Reading of the Names got to know the families of those who suffered a loss of a loved one,' Montoya said in a statement. 'They worked to prosecute those responsible for these violent crimes that robbed them of a loved one. It's meaningful to everyone who participates that these members of our community — who were taken from us far too soon — are remembered.'
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso DA James Montoya hosts memorial for victims of violent crimes
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Venezuelan man convicted of using El Paso apartment as stash house for migrants
A Venezuelan man was found guilty by a federal jury of operating a migrant stash house in a Northeast El Paso apartment. A federal jury convicted Marcel Eliezer Zapata-Colmenarez, 26, on Tuesday, June 3, on one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens, federal court records show. Zapata-Colmenarez is set to be sentenced Aug. 26. He is facing up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone presided over the trial at the Albert Armendariz Sr. Federal Courthouse in Downtown El Paso. U.S. Border Patrol agents conducting an immigration investigation went to Zapata-Colmenarez's house in the 4000 block of Sheppard Avenue about 10 a.m. Jan. 30, a federal complaint affidavit states. Agents received information that migrants were being held in an apartment behind Zapata-Colmenarez's house. No information is included in court documents on where agents received the information. The agents questioned Zapata-Colmenarez, who said he was a Venezuelan citizen awaiting his immigration hearing, scheduled for April. More: Reputed drug cartel enforcer denied by bond in murder, drug trafficking case Zapata-Colmenarez went to his bedroom to get his immigration paperwork and permitted agents to enter his house, the affidavit states. He also allowed the agents to search the house. Agents found "piles of clothes on the floor, wet and muddy clothing hanging in a closet, and other signs consistent with harboring and smuggling illegal aliens," U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas officials said in a news release. Zapata-Colmenarez allowed agents to search his cell phone. The agents found "proof-of-life videos," the affidavit states. Proof-of-life videos are sent by migrants who illegally crossed the border to acknowledge that they had been smuggled with the assistance of a smuggling network, the news release states. Agents interviewed Zapata-Colmenarez about their suspicion that he was running a stash house. He told agents a man, who is not named in court documents, driving a black sports utility vehicle, offered him a job to house migrants who had illegally crossed into the U.S., the affidavit states. More: Trump administration targets immigrants leaving court in El Paso, as ICE arrests increase The man would call Zapata-Colmenarez and tell him to take the migrants. Zapata-Colmenarez confessed to agents that he housed migrants in his apartment twice, the affidavit states. He added he knew the migrants were illegally in the country. Zapata-Colmenarez said he was paid $50 per migrant he housed at his apartment, the affidavit states. Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@ or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Venezuelan man convicted of running Northeast El Paso stash house
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Yahoo
Constables arrest El Paso driver 'doing doughnuts' on Alameda with young child passenger
An El Paso driver was arrested accused of recklessly "doing doughnuts" on a street with a preschool-age child passenger in the backseat. An El Paso County constable saw the display and arrested Jonathan Herrera, 24, of East El Paso, on an endangerment of a child charge, a second-degree felony, Precinct 6 Constable Javier Garcia said in a news release. Crime: El Paso woman arrested after 1-year-old nephew inhales from her marijuana vape pen The constable saw a gray Dodge pickup truck going at a high speed "doing doughnuts" at about 6:15 p.m. Saturday, May 31, in the 7900 block of Alameda Avenue near Riverside Drive in the Lower Valley, Garcia said. The truck was going in circles causing it to skid across all five lanes of traffic on Alameda several times, Garcia said. When the constable pulled over the truck, he noticed Herrera had a 3-year-old child in the back passenger seat. More news: Renée Victor, who voiced Abuelita in 'Coco," dies at 86 The child, who was not injured, was turned over to a responsible person at the scene. Herrera was arrested and booked into the El Paso County Jail. He was released on Sunday after posting a $5,000 surety bond, according to jail records. No attorney is listed for him on court records. Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@ and @BorundaDaniel on X. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas driver arrested 'doing doughnuts' with child passenger
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
Party's over: El Paso's Memorial Day holiday ends with dozens of DWI arrests
El Paso law enforcement arrested 42 people suspected of drunken driving over the Memorial Day weekend, authorities said. El Paso Police Department officers, El Paso County Sheriff's Office deputies, El Paso Constables and Texas Department of Public Safety state troopers stepped up patrols looking for drunken drivers over the holiday weekend. Law enforcement officers arrested 38 people on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and four minors for driving under the influence between Friday, May 23, to Monday, May 26, authorities said. The arrests came after El Paso city officials and law enforcement held a news conference Tuesday, May 13, announcing the increased patrols targeting drunken drivers. El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said "enough is enough," when he announced the crack down. Here is a breakdown of the arrests: 12 driving while intoxicated arrests 1 minor driving under the influence arrest 1 minor in possession of alcohol arrest 4 possession of a controlled substance/marijuana arrests 9 outstanding warrant arrests 72 traffic citations issued 10 driving while intoxicated arrests 1 minor driving under the influence arrest 6 outstanding warrant arrests 70 traffic citations issued 8 driving while intoxicated arrests 1 possession of a controlled substance/marijuana arrest 1 criminal mischief arrest 4 outstanding warrant arrests 21 traffic citations issued 8 driving while intoxicated arrests 2 minor driving under the influence arrests 4 possession of a controlled substance/marijuana arrests 30 traffic citations issued Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@ or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso's Memorial Day holiday ends with 42 drunken driving arrests
