By Amanda McGregor
Staff writer
April 16, 2008 06:33 am SALEM — Jessica Herrera's death wasn't far from people's thoughts as police officers gathered at Help for Abused Women and their Children yesterday morning. Herrera's boyfriend is charged with strangling her to death April 5 in their Peabody apartment — the latest in an increasing number of domestic violence homicides, both on the North Shore and statewide, that has police and HAWC on alert. "Domestic violence is important to us every day," said Sgt. Phil McCarthy, who heads Beverly Police Department's domestic violence unit. "When there's a murder, it absolutely drives it home and strikes a nerve." About 20 local police chiefs and officers turned out at HAWC's Salem headquarters to show their support for the nonprofit agency and its upcoming Walk for HAWC on April 27. The walk is its largest annual fundraiser. The agency provides counseling, advocacy, shelter and legal support to thousands of North Shore victims of domestic violence and their families — all of it for free. It will rely on the 16th annual walk to raise about $175,000. Herrera's murder is the sixth domestic violence-related death since 2007 in the nearly two dozen communities served by HAWC. Statewide, the figure for 2007 is 55 domestic violence-related deaths, up from 17 in 2005 and 34 in 2006. "It's definitely in the back of our minds," said Salem police Sgt. Marc Berube, "and why we try to work with victims as much as we can." Wenham police Chief Kenneth Walsh noted that domestic violence is a crime that seeps through all communities, large and small, rich and poor. "This is one thing we all deal with on a regular basis (that) a lot of people don't even realize," Walsh said. "Hopefully, you try to recognize issues before they get out of control." Time to get tough? Ashley Fernandes, 28, the man accused of killing Herrera, 25, pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. Herrera obtained a restraining order against her boyfriend in January, several days after she said he strangled and punched her repeatedly, slammed her head into the floor, and told her she was going to die that night. "I am afraid for my life," Herrera wrote Jan. 4, after reporting the attack. "I haven't been home in five days to give him time to move. But I am afraid for myself and my children and do not trust being home alone with him." A judge ordered Fernandes to stay away from her but denied a prosecutor's request to hold Fernandes without bail for 90 days as a danger to Herrera. The following month, the couple got back together, and Herrera returned to court to drop the restraining order. Candace Waldron, executive director of HAWC, believes that court actions need to be tougher, and she criticized a recent Supreme Judicial Court ruling that requires domestic violence victims to testify against their abusers in court. Regardless, Herrera's murder renews HAWC's cause. "It weighs heavily," she said. "I think it's really a time for us to examine the holes in the whole system." She called on police to write "very solid records and reports" when working on domestic violence incidents and investigations and said she was grateful for yesterday's showing of support from local officers. "Community awareness if a huge part of prevention," said Waldron, who has been director of HAWC for seven years. Other local police officers in attendance yesterday were Rockport Chief Tom Mccarthy and Sgt. Mark Schmink, Swampscott Chief Ronald Madigan, Middleton Chief James DiGianvittorio, Danvers Chief Neil Ouellette, Marblehead Chief Robert Picariello, Ipswich Chief Gavin Keenan, Beverly Capt. Alan Petersen and Wenham Capt. Tom Perkins. "We're just very supportive of what HAWC does," Walsh said. "We need that support for victims."
If you need help Do you, or does someone you know or love, need help regarding a domestic violence situation or concern? Call HAWC's 24-hour hot line at 800-547-1649. How to help 16th annual Walk for HAWC What: 5-mile fundraising walk Where: Begins at Old Town Hall, downtown Salem When: Sunday, April 27. Registration opens at 11 a.m.; walk starts at noon Registration: 11 a.m. the day of the walk, or register at www.helpabusedwomen.org
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Photos
Representatives from local police departments came out to support Help for Abused Women and their Children's upcoming walk on April 27. They are, front, from left, Swampscott Chief Ron Madigan, Danvers Capt. Neil Ouellette, HAWC Executive Director Candace Waldron and Wenham Capt. Tom Perkins; middle, from left, Marblehead Chief Bob Picariello, Ipswich Chief Gavin Keenan and Wenham Chief Ken Walsh; and rear, from left, Salem Sgt. Marc Berube, Beverly Capt. Alan Petersen, Middleton Chief James DiGianvittorio and Beverly Sgt. Phil McCarthy. Staff photo
Jessica Herrera, who was killed in a domestic assault. Courtesy photo