Homicide victims tree to be lighted Thursday in Modesto

The 18th annual lighting of the Homicide Victims’ Memorial Tree and Candlelight Vigil will be held Thursday, sponsored by the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office Victim Services Program.

The ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on the courthouse lawn, 1100 I St. It will be opened by District Attorney Birgit Fladager.

The program will include guest speaker Sandy Ranzo-Howell, whose brother and sister-in-law, Phillip and Kathryn Ranzo, were murdered in their northeast Modesto home in 1979. The Ranzos were killed June 26, 1979, after four teenage boys came to their home and pretended they needed to use their phone. The four – Marty Spears, Ronald Anderson, Darren Lee and Jeffrey Maria – remain in prison.

Music for the program will be by Stephanie King and Song of the City/Turlock Community Choir.

Friends and family of homicide victims are invited to attend and bring a nonbreakable ornament to hang on the tree in remembrance of their loved ones.

In case of rain, the program will be moved to the parking garage at 832 12th St., across from the courthouse.

For more information, call the Victim Services Program at 209-525-5541.

This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 12:31 PM with the headline "Homicide victims tree to be lighted Thursday in Modesto."