Families, friends invited to vigil for homicide victims

The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office is inviting family and friends of homicide victims to attend a candlelight vigil next week to honor their loved ones.

The 19th annual lighting of the homicide victims’ memorial tree and candlelight vigil is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 on the Stanislaus Superior Courthouse lawn at 1100 I Street in downtown Modesto.

Organizers ask attendees to bring a non-breakable ornament to hang on the memorial tree to remember their loved ones victimized by violent crimes.

The Victim Services Program is sponsoring the ceremony, which will open with remarks from District Attorney Birgit Fladager and followed by Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson.

The ceremony also will include guest speakers Annette Ramirez and Erin Nelson, along with a musical performance by Stephanie King and Tanya De La Puente.

If there is rainy weather, the ceremony will be moved to the parking garage at 832 12th street, just east of the courthouse. For more information, call the Victim Services Program at (209) 525-5541.

This story was originally published November 22, 2016 at 8:37 AM with the headline "Families, friends invited to vigil for homicide victims."