White paper angels flit in the leaves of a sequoia tree, as a cool breeze passed through Merced’s Courthouse Park this week.
Each angel contained a pen-written name of a victim who lost their life to either violence or crime in Merced County. Paces away, an array of portraits memorialized each victim. Sons. Daughters. Parents.
Some people hugged one another. Others wept. One attendee strummed a melancholy chord on an acoustic guitar. It’s this collective loss that ties far too many Merced families together.
The somber gathering was the Merced County District Attorney’s Office’s annual Victim’s Rights Ceremony. This year’s theme is “Listen. Act. Advocate.”
Regino “Regie” Mariscal was struck and killed by a driver in a 2025 DUI crash. The driver was sentenced to 10 years for vehicular manslaughter earlier this year. His mother, Alejandra Mariscal gave remarks through tears.
“We move forward always cherishing the greatest gifts that they gave us: Their beautiful memories, their voice, their smiles, their affection and their love. We treasure it,” she said.
Grieving families like Mariscal stepped up one by one to invoke their loved ones’ names.
“We need to reach out more to our children, really. If we don’t do that, we are going to lose, and we can’t,” one person said.
Speakers also included Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, District 3 City Councilmember Mike Harris, District 1 Supervisor Jim Pacheco and staff from the District Attorney’s Office.
Supervisor Pacheco read a proclamation signifying April 19-25 as National Crime Victim’s Rights Week in Merced. Since 1981, the week has aimed to show solidarity for victims of crimes and survivors – including the dedicated ceremony.
“Thank you to every victim and every survivor for your strength, courage, and for standing out not just for yourself, but for many others,” Soria said.
The day is for families to see their loved ones remembered, said Crystal Moua, who leads the Victim Witness Program at the District Attorney’s Office. The sequoia tree was dedicated to victims in the 1990s, she said.
Advocates at the Victim Witness Program provide moral and legal support to victims who go through the legal process. They also refer them to counseling at the Valley Crisis Center.
“I think it’s always a difficult day for people, but we want to shine a light on this,” District Attorney Nicole Silveira said. We want to say their names. We want them to be remembered.”
