Final Vigil Planned for Slaying Victims

After staging 72 vigils for murder victims since the year began, a Latino activist group will conclude its candlelight campaign with a final vigil on New Year’s Eve.

Members of Los Amigos of Orange County began the campaign on a rainy Jan. 3. That first vigil was held in memory of Abel Castillo Chavira near the Santa Fe railroad tracks along Minnie Street in Santa Ana, where the 21-year-old man was shot to death in what police called a gang-related crime.

Frank Castillo, who is not related to Chavira and whose idea it was to begin the yearlong campaign, and a few friends lit candles under their umbrellas and said a prayer for Chavira in an effort to call attention to the problem of escalating violence and to spread the word that all human life is valuable.

Soon, a quilt was undertaken by the activist group, with each square dedicated to one of the victims. The quilt is nearing 40 feet in length and the list of slaying victims has topped 74.

The number of killings grew so rapidly that Los Amigos started holding the vigils once a week. The next two vigils will be tonight in memory of Richard Linares, 23, of Santa Ana, and Paul Thomas Bray, 31, of Westminster.

Police said Bray’s body was found Monday night in the middle of West Brook Street, in the 1200 block, with a gunshot wound to the head. Linares also was killed Monday night in an apparent gang-related ambush in the 1600 block of South Shelton Street, Lt. Bob Helton said.

The New Year’s Eve vigil will be held at the First United Methodist Church on the southwest corner of Civic Center Drive East and French Street at 2 p.m.

“We’re trying to bring a dignified closure on the yearlong activity, which has drained us,” said Amin David, chairman of Los Amigos. “Seventy-some vigils is a lot, much too much.”

Added Galal Kernahan, a vigil organizer: “We did what we wanted to do--show that we value life. . . . We hope the families of all [the slaying victims] will join us Dec. 31 as we pay tribute to their loved ones one final time.”