Surviving friends and family remember loved ones lost to violence
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
Marie Christinis, director of crime victim services for the county district attorney’s office speaks in front of the Crime Victims’ Memorial Garden. District Attorney Jason Walsh stands to her left.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
The crowd listens to District Attorney Jason Walsh speak about the memorial garden.
Photos: Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
People lined up on both sides of the podium to reflect on loved ones they lost to violence.
Dozens of people congregated behind the Washington County Courthouse Sunday as they remembered loved ones lost to violence.
It was the first such gathering at the Crime Victims’ Memorial Garden since 2019. Before the pandemic brought group events to a halt, the annual meeting at the garden was a chance for surviving families to reflect on the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims, which falls on Sept. 25.
“Last year, we really didn’t get to do too much,” said Pam Tarr, president of the Guardians of the Memorial Garden committee, to the crowd. “We livestreamed it … It was the right thing to do at the time, but it did not feel personable. This year we’re making it personable.”
People lined up on both sides of the podium to share the name of their family member or friend and a few brief words about them. Typically, each year rocks with the names of victims etched into them are added to the garden at this ceremony.
However, Tarr explained to the group that the rocks they ordered had not arrived yet. When they do, families will be invited back to place their loved one’s stone in the garden.
This year, 22 names are being added. When the garden started in 2008, there were 38 names. Now there are more than 160.
One of the names added to the garden this year is Marshall Y. Craig. Craig was murdered at 27 by his neighbor in December 2020.
Dylan Lesnik would later plead guilty to first-degree murder. Days before the murder, Lesnik had assaulted his pregnant girlfriend, a crime he also pleaded guilty to committing. After killing Craig, Lesnik stole his car.
“My son was murdered for a getaway car,” said Carla Craig, Marshall’s mother, before Sunday’s ceremony.
Carla remembers her son’s kindness and generosity.
“Marshall was an absolutely wonderful soul. He did anything and everything to help his family, his friends, his community, the elderly. Anytime somebody needed help, he was the first one there to offer,” Carla said.
Marie Christinis, director of crime victim services for the county district attorney’s office, spoke at Sunday’s gathering.
“As I look around today, some of your faces, I recognize. I walked with you through the criminal system. Other faces I know from past memorial garden services and from past crimes,” said Christinis. “But all of you who sit here today share a common bond. You are now part of a club that none of you ever wanted to join. To those of you who are here for the first to memorialize a loved one, look around, and draw strength from others here.”
Following Christinis was District Attorney Jason Walsh. Walsh spoke of his commitment to “vigorously prosecute” homicides in the county.
“Although I can vigorously prosecute crimes, I cannot give back what you have lost,” Walsh said. “In prosecuting those homicides, I can attempt to at least seek justice for the victims of those homicides and try to bring justice to the families, friends and neighbors who have lost so much.”