Valley parents of murdered children gather in Warren to remember

Many of those attending still feel anguish over their losses.

BY JORDAN COHEN

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

WARREN—The Rev. Pete Cozart looked out at more than 50 people at the Warren Amphitheater who have lived the same nightmare he has — the loss a child due to violence.

“It helps us to remember more of the good things our children did before their death,” the clergyman said. His son, Darryl, 33, was shot and killed in 1997.

Rev. Cozart is the leader of the Trumbull County Chapter of Parents of Murdered Children, which conducted its annual Remembrance Day on Sunday.

The Trumbull chapter, part of a national organization, was chartered in 1988 and began holding the annual observances in 2000.

“It helps to know we’re not alone,” said Cozart’s wife, Genell.

Other parents agreed, but some like Raquel Magallon of Youngstown still agonize because the deaths of their children are unsolved.

“There are no leads, no nothing,” Magallon said. Her son, Jason McInnis, 28, was killed in Youngstown in 2006.

Ed Hoerig of Newton Falls and his wife Frances feel the justice system and the government have failed them. Their 43-year-old son Karl, a major in the Air Force Reserves and a pilot for Southwest Airlines, was shot to death in his Newton Falls home in March 2007. The suspected killer, Karl’s wife Claudia, fled to her native Brazil, which has refused to extradite her.

“No one returns our phone calls anymore,” Hoerig said. “We’re hoping we can get some help here to get this back on track.”

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.