'We will never have closure': Hundreds of homicide victims honored on National Day of Remembrance

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Families impacted by gun violence and public officials came together to honor victims murdered in the Houston area on the National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims, packing an entire conference room at the Crime Stoppers building.

Stephanie Aguilar and Mark Aguilar Sr. placed a picture frame of their 23-year-old son next to the other victims.

"He was such a loving son," Stephanie said in tears as she remembered her son. "He had a 2-year-old daughter he leaves behind."

According to Houston police, Aguilar was shot to the death in his car after ordering tacos at a food truck on Irvington Boulevard back in May.

"A young man, turning into a man, taking care of his family going to work, doing what he had to do, and you get murdered for going out and getting food," the victim's father said.

Their son is one of the hundreds of victims murdered in 2022 in Houston. So far, 322 people have been murdered this year, according to the Houston Police Department. The number of homicides is down 4% compared to this time in 2021, but it exceeds the number of homicides for all of 2019, which was 281.

According to Crime Stoppers director Andy Kahan, usually the names of each victim are read aloud. However, he said there were too many to read this year. Instead, pictures and names were listed out on poster boards and played on a monitor.

Public officials and elected leaders such as Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, Houston Police Department Executive Chief Matt Slinkard, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, and Senator John Whitmire spoke about the staggering number of violent deaths.

Veronica Castellano went to support other families and honor her son, after losing him in 2020.

"It's going to be two years next month," Castellano said.

Alejandro Ocanas, known by his family as Big A, was shot on the South Loop, according to Houston police.

"It's really hard every day. You have to face life, no matter what pain you're going through, and it's difficult for us to go on through life without him," Castellano said.

Her son's accused killer was out on bond for capital murder, according to court records.

"We want to make sure people know what's going on in the judicial system," Castellano said.

Other families, like Aguilar's, still have open cases, with no suspect, as they await justice.

"I don't think we'll ever have closure," Stephanie said. "He's gone and never coming back. We will never have closure, we will always have pain."

SEE RELATED STORY: Harris Co. audit of Crime Stoppers incomplete when organization did not fulfill request

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