Memory of Jessica Rehfeld inspires vigil in Rapid City to commemorate murder victims

RAPID CITY, SD (KOTA) – The Pennington County District Attorney’s Office is organizing a vigil in honor of National Murder Victims’ Day of Remembrance.

The event will be held on September 25 at 6:30 p.m. on the lawn in front of the county administration building at 130 Kansas City Street in Rapid City. Katy Urban, spokesperson for the Pennington County District Attorney's Office, asks families and friends to bring a photo of their loved ones to honor their memory.

The event will feature speakers, followed by a reading of the names of those remembered. “It's a meaningful opportunity for families and friends to come together in remembrance,” Urban said. “So many in our community are affected when we lose someone in this tragic way.”

In 2007, Congress declared September 25th as National Murder Victims' Day. The date was chosen in honor of Lisa Hullinger, a 19-year-old college student who was murdered while studying in Germany in 1978. Lisa's parents, Robert and Charlotte Hullinger of Cincinnati, later founded Parents of Murdered Children, a support organization for families affected by violent crime.

The idea to mark this day locally came from Michael Rehfeld, the father of Rapid City murder victim Jessica Rehfeld. He believed that such an event could be both an opportunity for healing for families and a meaningful way to honor loved ones whose lives were taken too soon by violence.

These vigils serve to publicly honor the lives of loved ones and acknowledge the profound impact of their loss. They also help raise awareness of the long-term effects of violent crime.

A therapist will be present on site to provide support and debriefing to event participants.

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