Survivors Gather to Remember Murder Victims

On the Sixth Annual National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims, dozens of Charleston County residents gathered in County Council Chambers for a memorial ceremony for their murdered loved ones.

The Charleston County Sheriff's Office of Victim Assistance and the MUSC Survivors fo Homicide Support Group organized the event. During the ceremony organizers passed out candles to the survivors as they shared stories of their loved ones who were killed.

"Approximately one in 10 individuals report losing a loved one to homicide and this also includes vehicular homicide," CCSO Victim Advocate Easter LaRoche said. "South Carolina is the first in the nation in for violent crime and seventh in the nation for per capita homicide rate."

More than 16,000 people are murdered in the United States each year, and losing a loved one to murder can lead to depression, anxiety and substance abuse, as well as relationship difficulties and physical health problems, LaRoche added. Both the City of Charleston and the State of South Carolina issued proclamations recognizing Sept. 25 as a National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.

"Often times homicide survivors feel like they have been left out or forgotten, so the National Day of Remembrance was established in 2006 so that the memories of murder victims will be honored," LaRoche said. "We are here to honor their lives and not their death."