BECKY'S FAMILY'S REQUEST FOR DONATIONS FOR A TOMBSTONE

Articles on Becky Torres' murder: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2007/12/former-firefighter-enrique-torres.html

FROM HEATHER [Becky's cousin]

Please help Raise funds for a headstone for my cousin Becky
Update: The cemetery has agreed to cut the price of the headstone in half! Please help us raise enough funds for my Dear Cousin to have a headstone, this being one week away from the date that she was brutally murdered in her own home, by the hands of the one man that was suppose to protect her, her own husband! On Friday, December 27, 2007, Rebecca Torres life was abruptly ended through senseless act of violence. All proceeds from this fundraiser will go toward a purchase of a tombstone for Rebecca. Rebecca was fluent within the Beecher school district and was dedicated to ensuring that her two wonderful children received a quality education. Rebecca could always be seen taking her children to after-school activities and volunteering whenever school functions needed extra help. Becky was also a God-fearing woman who attended church faithfully weekly and faithfully believed in abiding by the golden rules. It was a great honor to have had the chance to meet Becky and know her for the time that I did. She was a wonderful mom and a dignified friend. Whenever she spoke there was always something a person could learn. She was a positive influence on young people and immediately redirected them when she saw something that could lead to a bad habit.

To see Becky just one more time just to say goodbye. Some wish they could just hug her one more time and tell her that they think about her all the time. Hear her laugh at one of their jokes, see her smile, wave goodbye...anything is better than not seeing or hearing her at all...The worst pain is not being able to say goodbye.Please Help this fund by going to the following site!www. fundable. com/groupactions/groupaction. 2008-12-10.5874105521May God Bless You

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http://www.fundable.com/groupactions/groupaction.2008-12-10.5874105521

A tombstone for Rebecca Torres
$300 goal
$140.00 secured
NO MONEY will be taken until this collection reaches $300 in free pledges.
46%
Time Left:
13 days 16 hours 20 min. 21 sec.
Start Time:
12/10/2008 09:02 AM EST
Deadline:
01/04/2009 11:59 PM EST
MAKE FREE PLEDGE:
-or -
Would you like to pay— even if the goal isn't met? Click here.
On Friday, December 27, 2007, Rebecca Torres life was abrubtly ended through senseless act of violence. All proceeds from this fundraiser will go toward a purchase of a tombstone for Rebecca. Rebecca was fluent within the Beecher school district and was dedicated to ensuring that her two wonderful children received a quality education. Rebecca could always be seen taking her children to after-school activities and volunteering whenever school functions needed extra help. Becky was also a God-fearing woman who attended church faithfully weekly and faithfully believed in abiding by the golden rules. It was a great honor to have had the chance to meet Becky and know her for the time that I did. She was a wonderful mom and a dignified friend. Whenever she spoke there was always something a person could learn. She was a positive influence on young people and immediately redirected them when she saw something that could lead to a bad habit. To see Becky just one more time just to say goodbye. Some wish they could just hug her one more time and tell her that they think about her all the time. Hear her laugh at one of their jokes, see her smile, wave goodbye...anything is better than not seeing or hearing her at all...The worst pain is not being able to say goodbye.

[MI POLICE OFFICER INVOLVED PERPETRATED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAW ENFORCEMENT MURDER SUICIDE]

PRETRIAL HEARING FOR BECKY TORRES' MURDER

PRETRIAL COURT DATE FOR ENRIQUE TORRES [MURDER OF BECKY TORRES] ON JANUARY 20 @ 3:00pm, BEFORE JUDGE JOSEPH FARAH. GENESSE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT @ 900 S. SAGINAW ROOM 305, FLINT MICHIGAN.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Flint&state=MI&address=900+S.+Saginaw

Thank you Heather Linseman [Becky's cousin] for always keeping us up to date on the court dates in Becky's case.

Articles on Becky Torres' murder:

http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2007/12/former-firefighter-enrique-torres.html

LORI DEKLEINE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL

Lori DeKleine remembered
Family and friends gather for service one year after murder of wife by officer
By MEGAN SCHMIDT
The Holland Sentinel
Posted Jan 10, 2009 @ 10:29 PM
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/x497786011/Lori-DeKleine-remembered


Dan Irving/The Holland Sentinel
Friends and family of Lori DeKleine gather during a candlelight vigil in her honor Saturday night at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church. (1/10/09)






Dan Irving/The Holland Sentinel
Friends and family of Lori DeKleine gather during a candlelight vigil in her honor Saturday night at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church. (1/10/09)






Patti Ticknor, left, and her daughter Brooke Jorgenson hold candles in memory of Ticknor's sister Lori DeKleine during a memorial service Saturday night at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church. (1/10/09)







Dan Irving/The Holland Sentinel
Shelly Stammis of Grand Rapids, a friend of Lori DeKleine, holds a candle in DeKleine's honor during a candlelight memorial service Saturday night at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church. (1/10/09)


Holland, MI —
In the months before her murder, Lori DeKleine began to “branch out.”

She started to confide in her sister and others about the abuse and manipulation she was subjected to by her husband, who at the time was a Holland police officer.

That’s why last summer, members of Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church decided that the best way to remember Lori, who loved gardening, would be to plant a tree outside the church.

On Saturday, Jan. 10, family and friends of Lori DeKleine gathered around that tree for a candlelight vigil — exactly one year after her murder.

The memorial took place just across the street from the Calvin Avenue home where Lori DeKleine, 43, was found dead in her basement on Jan. 10, 2008.

Her husband, Ken DeKleine, against whom Lori DeKleine had once filed a restraining order, was convicted of her murder in July and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

With a portrait of Lori positioned on a table behind him, senior pastor George DeJong led a group of about 40 people in attendance through prayer during the ceremony.

“I really don’t believe that Lori’s time on earth was over, but it was taken by Ken,” DeJong said. “It was received by God, no question. But it was robbed.”

Lori’s sister, Patti Ticknor, recalled Lori’s skill as a writer during the memorial service.

Ticknor remembered a book Lori composed for her parents called “My Heart,” inspired by her faith, for Christmas in 2007.

Material from that book would later be drawn for Lori’s funeral service.

“She actually wrote her own funeral,” Ticknor said.

That Christmas remains etched in Ticknor’s memory, because it was a time when she was just beginning to know Lori as a friend, she said. It was also the last time she would see Lori alive.

For years, the sisters were at odds — often due to Ken DeKleine’s manipulative behavior, she said.

Ken appeared to be one of the “nicest, gentlest” people, Ticknor said, often causing her to question Lori’s side of the story.

“He would give me information that built a case against Lori,” she said.

Ticknor’s relationship with Lori began to change when the sisters began working together, after Lori had separated from Ken. The improvement showed at that last Christmas together, Ticknor said.

“We were like long-lost friends,” she said. “My parents’ faces glowed.”

Since Lori’s murder, Ticknor said she’s received support from organizations such as Michigan Officer Involved Domestic Violence.

The organization helps women who are victims of domestic violence to find their voices.

Before her death, Lori may have felt that her voice had been silenced, friend Suzy Doyle said.

During the memorial, Doyle recalled walking Lori through the steps to apply for a personal protection order in January 2007, thinking it would help to keep Ken away from her.

“I was confident the criminal justice system would take this woman seriously,” Doyle said. “The judge assured her that while Ken was powerful, he (the judge) was powerful, too.”

Since Lori’s murder, several members of the Holland Police Department have apologized to her parents for not coming to Lori’s aid, Ticknor said.

As the service closed, DeJong reminded gatherers not to forget Lori’s murder — but also not to give Ken DeKleine the power to continue manipulating the emotions of those she loved.

“We must be conscious of the chaos that happened down this street, but not controlled by it,” he said.
[MI POLICE OFFICER INVOLVED PERPETRATED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAW ENFORCEMENT MURDER SUICIDE]

LORI DEKLEINE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL

Due to a snow storm in Indiana and southwestern Michigan on January 10, 2009, Laura, Jen and I were not able to attend Lori's candlelight vigil. Before Patti headed to Holland for the vigil, she called and asked me to write something regarding OIDV that she could read at her sister's vigil:

FROM: RENEE’ HARRINGTON, MICHIGAN OFFICER INVOLVED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

Laura, Jen and I from MIOIDV so wanted to be by Patti’s side today. I feel as though we are sending Patti, who is in the midst of the grief of losing her sister Lori to officer involved domestic violence, into un-chartered waters…which is exactly what OIDV is.

40% of police officer families experience domestic violence, compared to 10% in non-officer families. Officer involved domestic violence is more deadly than non-officer related domestic violence, and unfortunately the only time we hear of OIDV is AFTER a victim has been murdered, because their voices were silenced prior to their murders, for speaking out on the taboo subject of the abuses they suffered at the hands of a police officer.

To silence Lori, you silence her strength and her determination to escape her abuser. Lori was strong. Lori was determined. Lori was led by her integrity and her belief that irregardless of Ken’s position as a police officer, he did not have the right to violate her and violate Michigan’s domestic violence laws. Lori’s strength can be seen not only in her ability to survive Ken’s abuse, but also in her escape from Ken. With no one to turn to and no agency to assist her, Lori courageously in an essence took on Ken by her herself, when she said, “enough” and filed for a divorce.

Courageous. Strong. Determined. That is how Lori deserves to be remembered. With her last breath, Lori fought and was still fighting back against Ken, and the officer involved domestic violence that traps so many other victims. Lori took a stand when she filed for divorce and she took a stand when Ken was killing her. Lori never backed down. Courageous. Strong. Determined.

We owe it to Lori to continue to let her voice be heard…for it is the voice of every victim of officer involved domestic violence. The police officers, the prosecutor’s office, and the jurors who insured that Ken was held accountable for Lori’s murder, have already opened the doors on this taboo subject of officer involved domestic violence…they have given voice to Lori and officer involved dv.

And now it is up to all of us as to what we will do with this lesson that we have learned about officer involved domestic violence. Do we close that door of opportunity that the officers, prosecutor, jurors and media have given us…or do we pick up the phone and call our state legislators and demand officer involved domestic violence legislation and programs specifically for victims of officer involved dv?

We can either let Lori’s voice die with her…or we can let Lori’s voice be a battle cry to continue the fight that she so courageously began in January 2007.