‘My sister is dead’: Omaha woman’s family advocating against domestic violence
OMAHA, Neb. (KLKN) – Dozens of people gathered for a vigil to remember Cecilia Perez, an Omaha woman who was found dead in a field just east of Lincoln last week.
Her boyfriend, Raymond Evans, was arrested by Omaha Police on suspicion of criminal homicide.
Friends, family and advocates against domestic violence all attended on Saturday.
Emma Wineinger, Perez’s sister, and Dawn Van Sloun, her aunt, were among several who got up to share memories of her.
“Cecilia was a character,” Van Sloun said. “Her laughter, her laugh, it was like this cackle.”
They said she was a loving person, always looking out for her family.
“She raised all of us,” Wineinger said. “She raised my niece. She raised all of her kids, and she did a damn good job. She did so good.”
Van Sloun said this isn’t the first time their family has lost someone to domestic violence.
“Both my mother and my great grandmother were trapped in their relationships,” she said. “They had nowhere to go, in their minds, no one to help them and that’s not the case. We need to stop the vicious cycle of trauma.”
Van Sloun said Perez had been with Evans for less than a year when she died. Perez’s family is hoping justice will be served.
“We fought for her so many times to get away,” Wineinger said. “My sister is dead. Not even a year dude. He ruined so much. He ruined so much for this family.”
The family is currently raising money for funeral costs and to support Cecilia’s three children.
Van Sloun said while she’s grateful for all the support people have shown, it shouldn’t have been necessary in the first place.
“I’m not supposed to be organizing candle vigils for my niece,” she said.
She added that now is the time to spread the word about domestic violence and reach out to someone who may need help.
“Pay attention,” Van Sloun said. “Be an advocate to your loved ones, that they know they have someplace to go. When your gut tells you there’s something wrong, there’s something wrong.”
