HEATHER EIDSON / BEACON NEWS
The relatives of murder victims aren't the only ones whose families
have been ripped apart by gangs.
BY DAVE PARRO
It's easy to feel compassion for the relatives of murder victims who waited as many as 18 years for the alleged killers to be caught after their families were violently ripped apart by gangs. But something that might be overlooked or ignored is the fact that each of the 28 Latin Kings arrested last week in almost two dozen cold-case murders is also a husband, father, brother or son.
Some of them might have turned their lives around since committing the crime. Many are now married with children. Unfortunately for their families, murder rightfully doesn't have a statute of limitations. While gang members don't deserve any sympathy, the devastating ripple effect of their actions on family and friends -- and the community -- is undeniable.
Relatives on both sides of last week's arrests have been sharing their thoughts on the Beacon Blog. To see the previous posts on this story and the comments, go to the page devoted to this issue.
Im the son of Adrian Alexender Mares its been 16-17 years and finally its the end thank you aurora police ( writing out of Tulsa,Ok)
sure the murderers might have families, what about the life they took? the families they disrupted how many years ago,
they need to pay for the crime, they took a life, and that debt needs to be paid,
I have to agree with you on this thought. I am one of the girlfriends of the alleged Latin Kings who were picked up and all I can say is I agree that the vitims have to have justice, but make sure you get the right people. As well as they say that they have a witness for each murder, well who is this witness, how old were they at the time, are they a crediable witness, where were they standing when the murder took place, were they looking through glass, was the glass clean, do they wear glasses? Can they hold down a job, do they lie, have they had problems with drugs what are they getting out of telling what they suppossedly saw - money, less time in the joint, not going to the joint at all? These are some of the questions I ask, this whole situation is very bitter sweet, its just very hard to swallow. My heart goes out to the vitims families and as well as the accused and thier families.
Justice. These murderers did not show no mercy for the lives they took away from loved ones! They deserve what they get! Killing, taking someone else's life does not make it RIGHT! Being in a gang is a cowardly way of being a real MAN. Lock 'em up and throw away the key. RIP for the innocent victims and their families.
All of the families, on both sides, deserve plenty of sympathy. the only difference, that I can see is that: 1)the gang members families usually knew what their loved one was in to...maybe not this exact crime, but knew they were living a life that allowed all of them to live a larger life that they should have. He was probably not working, but had plenty of money. You have to know they are selling drugs or abusing people somehow. If the loved one owned a gun, was in a gang & carried it everywhere they went, killing people was a probability in that gang member's life. The families usually knew about this life style. 2)The victims families usually had no idea what would happen, and it was a total shock. If their familiy member was in a gang, retaliation is never justified under God's law. Murder is never justified under God's laws. That's the bottom line. All need to be prayed for and loved.
Victims and suspects in these cold cases are just the APD's, specifically Chief Powell's propaganda for his own self gratification. The State's Attorney is opening a pandora's box, the war has just led to another battle if race and social discrimination. Do you honestly think they care about JUSTICE?!! Let's not get over-excited, the gangs are still here, the crack heads still need their drugs and according to the prosecution, they are willing to accept a CONVICTED drug dealer/gang bangers testimony as EVIDENCE, so he/she can get back to their freedom and business on the streets of Aurora. They have such low morale in the APD right now, it's pure ridicule. All these years, it seemed the APD was happy and willing to look the other way as these victims of GANG VIOLENCE "got what they deserved" in their opinion, minus the innocent victims, for a brief moment anyway.
It doesnt matter one way or the other the (apd)needs to open more cases of the murdered BLACK MEN from Aurora or step back & let someone who actually cares about the BLACK community take there place. WE HAVE BEEN QUIET FOR TO LONG WE WILL NOT SETTLE FOR ANYMORE EXECUSES FROM THE UNCLE TOMS IN POWER DO SOMETHING OR WE WILL (RIP) LARRY WESBY&DEMETRIUS WASHINGTON.
You want to open more cases of the murdered black men from Aurora? Let me give you the secret to solving these murders. The secret to solving all the murders. It is YOU the citizen. For almost every murder there is a witness who saw what happened. When questioned by the police these witnesses have said over the years "I didn't see anything", or worse yet, they left the scene before the police arrived. The police and prosecutors don't have magic powers. They don't select who will cooperate to solve murders based on race. They try to solve them all. If there is a disparity in statistics based on race then you need to talk with the relatives, friends and citizens of the victim. That is where you should direct your anger. Call the cold case task force number at 801-6742 if you have information. The police will gladly work their tails off to solve a murder if they get info.