Published: October 06, 2009 11:25 pm         

Crosses a reminder domestic violence can be deadly

A somber memorial marks the YWCA lawn after the organization placed crosses for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The crosses honor people killed in Oklahoma by domestic violence this year.

“In years past, the YWCA has placed crosses in front of its facility to represent those lost to domestic violence-related homicides for the previous year in Oklahoma,” said Kayte Anton, YWCA community education and prevention specialist. “This year, instead of placing crosses to represent 2008 numbers, we are attempting to increase the impact brought by the crosses by placing a cross for each victim killed in Oklahoma since Jan. 1, 2009.”

According to the Okla-homa Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, since the beginning of the year, 44 people have lost their lives, including six children and two Seminole County Sher-iff’s office deputies.

“It is incredible the number is so high and the year isn’t even over,” Anton said.

A white cross represents each victim, including six smaller crosses to represent the children killed by domestic violence.

“We are also putting up smaller crosses to recognize the children,” Anton said. “We want people to know when they look at them that they represent children.”

The two deputies killed this year were Deputy Robbie Chase and Capt. Marvin Williams. They were shot in the line of duty while serving a domestic violence warrant.

Domestic violence rock-ed the Enid community earlier this year with the killing of Sherry Susan Lovely on Feb. 6. She was stabbed by her husband, who then killed himself at Evans Pharmacy.

Regina Bounds, of Sem-inole, was the first person killed by domestic violence in Oklahoma this year. She allegedly was killed by her boyfriend Jan. 1. She was found dead in her father’s driveway.

Other victims are An-toinne “Tony” Guillory, Vivian Pierce, Rebecca Pierce, Summer Rust, Kirsten Rust, Autumn Rust, Teagin Rust, Evynn Garas, Leroy Herrera, Denise Anderson, James Knight Jr., Omar Garcia, Sammy Atkinson, Jeanna Coffman, Carol Lee, Shannon Renfro, Bobby Wayne Jackson, Magaly Estrada, Estrada’s unborn baby, Jimmy Lee Weaver, Kaitlyn Finnegan, Harry Williams and Rebecca Castaldi.

Also, Richard Cline, Joy Payne, Lela Buckner, Gary Nakedhead, Shandy Roof, Roof’s unborn baby, Laterria Miller, Delola Hammond, Candace Vivian, John T. Patterson, Amy Pameticky, Nikkie Partridge and Stacey Knapp.

One victim’s name and information is not yet released. All that is known is the person is an adult.

“I wish we could put something on each of the crosses to represent the person that died,” Anton said. “I wish people would drive by and see the stories and be touched by that.”

The number of victims rise almost weekly. Currently, several homicides are being investigated as possible domestic-related crimes.

“The numbers keep changing and that is very sad and tragic,” Anton said. “We will add more crosses if more come in. We could be adding crosses by the end of the week.”