Victims vigil will mark 25th year

Staff report

WARREN

Twenty-five years ago, when the first victims vigil was held here, Miriam Fife had just come from Ravenna, where Tim Combs was on trial, charged with being one of two men who murdered her 12-year-old son, Raymond.

That first vigil, organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the newly created Trumbull County Victim-Witness division of the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s office and other organizations, focused a lot on the tragedy of Raymond Fife’s murder, Miriam Fife said.

That first vigil focused on the reasons why victims needed to be remembered, she said.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Park Ave., people will gather for the 25th annual vigil.

Unlike 25 years ago, the focus will not be Raymond, but it will continue to focus on the need for remembrance of the victims, she said.

Miriam Fife is the victim-witness advocate for the victim-witness division.

As for Raymond, when the 25th anniversary of his death comes up this Sept. 10, she plans to have a celebration of all of the positive things that have happened since his death and the things that have happened as a result of his death, she said.

Judge Cynthia Wescott Rice, judge of the 11th District Court of Appeals based in Warren, will be the guest speaker at Tuesday’s vigil, which is part of National Victim Rights Week.

The vigil features candles being lit for all victims of violent crime. The names of those people killed through homicide in the past year in Trumbull County will be read.

For more information, call Miriam Fife at (330) 675-2552.