~*}dA sAD StoRy{*~

i dOn'T eVeN KnO HOw MaNY oF maH HOmIeS i GotZ wHO R LocKed uP . . . gUnz, DRuGz, PrObATioN VioLatIons, FigHts, MurDeRS, eTc. . . i SEeN sO maNy oF mAh HOMeBoyZ gO tHrouGh sO mUcH & i BeeN ThrOUgH a LoT oF iT w/ dEm . . . i BeEn TO tHa ParTiES, i dOnE tHa CrImES tOO, i dOnE aLL tHA tHInGS tHAt oUr PareNtS r So IgnOranT abOuT sO i KnO wHAt i'M taLkIn abOUt. . .
i aIn'T eVen bOuT tO pREAcH aBouT HoW BaD gaNgS r . . . maH HomEbOYz cAn bE pOsitTiVe iNfLUENCeS tOo . . . wHeN dEy tRuLy CaRE aBoUT yA, TheY TReAT YA LikE gOLD anD wOUlD Do N-e-thInG to ProTEcT thEir owN . . . w/O beIn iN dA GaNg iTseLf, wEEH haVE tHeiR tOtaL SUppoRT . . . eMOTioNaL anD PHYsiCaL . . .
. . . bUt Da vIolenCe dAt coMES OuT oF iT aLL HurTs EVERYONE . . . tHa FaMiliEs, Tha fRieNdS, tHa ViCtImS, AND thA gAnGsTAs . . . ThiS iS a StORy abOuT WhAT DaT vIoLencE cAn dO. . .

In December of 1995 the tight-knit Filipino community of the Moreno Valley, California area was abruptly and violently given an example of the horrors of gang violence. While gangs are not a new attraction, the utter destruction of innocent lives hadn't been prevalent in the Filipino community before this tragedy.

Sherry Magpali and Vincent Anes were two young members of this Filipino community. Vincent had been a senior at Rancho Verde High School; Sherry had graduated with honors from Valley View High School in June 1995. Vincent was born just one day after Sherry: March 16, 1977 -- March 15, 1977 for Sherry. They both attended St. Christopher's Catholic Church and both came from military families. Sherry was studying graphic arts at Riverside Community College. I personally didn't know Vincent; I only knew him through friends of mine and his. I did know Sherry . . . we went to high school together, along with her younger brother and sister. Sherry was, and still is in my heart, the sweetest, kindest person I have ever met. She was innocent, although not naive, of the violence of the gangsters we knew. Vincent was more involved with gangs though . . . it has later come about that what happened stemmed from gangsters that Vincent didn't get along with . . .

The tragic night of December 2, 1995 began well . . . some of my friends and I, along with Sherry, were at a friends birthday party, celebrating with family and friends . . . it was the whole Filipino style family part: lechon, lumpia, LOTS of rice, isda, sinigang, adobo, shrimp, pancit . . . the whole deal. We were all taking pictures, laughing, joking . . . that was the last time anyone would celebrate with Sherry. Vincent picked her up later . . . that was the last time any of her own friends ever saw her. The next day I received a call from my kuya about what had happened . . .

. . . Vincent's body was found in his car at a park, stabbed and left bleeding to die; Sherry was finally discovered on the side of a freeway in Sun City, shot several times, in the head, the neck, and the chest. Working in Moreno Valley Hospital I later learned the details of the autopsy reports . . . the horrible and gruesome specifics of what was done to the two young people.

The next week and a half consisted of unstoppable tears and sadness for those of us who loved Sherry. Within Sherry's devastated household, we held a prayer and rosary service with Father Ike of St. Christopher's Church. The viewing was, for me, too much; Sherry's mother went into shock, refusing to believe that the tiney 18-year-old body in the casket belonged to her eldest daughter; I broke down after seeing her and had to run out of the funeral home. Sherry's final mass was also heart-wrenching: her mother refused to believe that she was having the last communion with her daughter; Through the wailing, our friend Dexter sang One Sweet Day, in his own version to Sherry. During the eulogy, Sherry's brother Jeff told us that, "Sherry should not be remembered for her death, but by the sweet happiness of her life."

To help support the funeral costs for the two families, Sherry's friends and prominent members of Moreno Valley's Filipino community held a car wash. Being a part of that helped many of us to begin reconciling their deaths in our own minds.

I could go on; the story has yet to end. Despite newspaper articles and televised pleas for help or tips, the police have come to a dead-end . . . no one has been accused or prosecuted. I could tell you everything else that happened, how it affected, touched, and pained each of us. But that's not necessary; the sadness has not left any of us. Sherry and Vincent's spirits live on in the hearts of their families and friends. They are buried within a few feet of each other . . . visited often by their loved ones. The tragedy of these events has brought our Filipino community even closer, but they have also left us each bitter, sad, angry, crying, and heartbroken.

Seven months after Sherry and Vincent were so horribly slayed, Moreno Valley police DID charge a suspect with their double homicide. 29-year-old Richard Nathan Simon, who was already being held at the Riverside County Jail, is known to have gang ties and police have officially made the statement that they believe the incident WAS gang related. No conviction has been made and the case has yet to go to trial. Because it was a double homicide, it is likely that special circumstances will be added to the charge and Simon may be eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Although the families and friends of the two departed young people are happy that finally some breakthrough has been made, it will never be resolved in our minds.