MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis City Council chambers were full Monday evening as hundreds of people stocked four wreaths with Christmas ornaments in honor of people dear to them.
But these were no ordinary people. Each one was related to a homicide victim.
“He just loved everybody,” said Charlie Hines as she remembered her nephew, Imri Gilmore.
The 19-year-old was killed in 2011 as he sat in a car with his friends.
Families like Hines’ have been taking part in the Shelby County District Attorney’s Season of Remembrance event for the past eight years.
“It’s a solemn, solemn feeling,” said David Kent, who brought two ornaments to Monday’s ceremony. One is for his brother; another is for his daughter, who was stabbed 26 times in 2016.
“The perpetrator put my granddaughter in the trunk. Can’t forget, can’t forget,” Kent said.
There were new families at the Season of Remembrance this year. A Christmas tree bore the names of all of the people killed so far in 2018.
Family of murdered Greater Memphis Chamber CEO Phil Trenary were among those who attended Monday as Trenary’s accused killers continue to await trial.
It’s the kind of justice that’s not even yet in sight for whoever murdered Hines’ nephew.
“It’s still an open case, they still are investigating, so it’s not like he’s forgotten, there’s just nobody coming forward with any kind of information,” Hines said.
The wreaths at Monday’s ceremony will be moved to the Hall of Mayors and remain there until Christmas.