TUCSON, Ariz. — It’s been about 26 years since Elizabeth Martinez lost her youngest sister Sandra to violence. Sandra’s boyfriend killed her in 1998, leaving Martinez with a lot of questions.
Martinez didn’t have any idea that there could even be violence in her sister Sandra’s home. Her death is what empowered her to become the leader of the Southern Arizona chapter of Parents of Murdered Children.On Sunday night the organization got together for the start of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week at Children’s Memorial Park.Martinez and several other members of the organization spoke about how their loved ones’ deaths have impacted their lives.
“A lot of people are afraid that they’re going to be forgotten, so this is a special way to keep their memory alive,” she said. “Paid for their time off a certain amount to go to court proceedings and free funeral expenses,” she explained.