Second Anniversary of Jessica Lenora Colecio’s Domestic Violence Death is Dec. 6th
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015
Domestic Violence is alive and heavy in Eagle Pass and Maverick County, Texas. During the past three months from September to November 2015, the Eagle Pass Police Department has reported receiving and responding to 52 Domestic Disturbance calls in the City of Eagle Pass, Texas alone. In addition to these 52 cases, the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department reported 15 male individuals were arrested for Domestic Violence in Maverick County, Texas during the past three months of September to November 2015.
December 6, 2015 marks the very sad and tragic second anniversary of the murder of Eagle Passan Jessica Lenora Colecio, age 38, whom was brutally stabbed to death with a knife by her boyfriend, Jaime Jimenez, age 37, of Eagle Pass, Texas, at a residence on Bryan Street.
Jimenez had a history of committing domestic violence against Colecio, including several criminal cases for family violence were pending in Maverick County Court at the time that he murdered Colecio on December 6, 2013.
Colecio’s calls and pleas for assistance from Maverick County law enforcement authorities, legal system, judicial system, and community went unheeded and led to the eventual demise (death) of the mother of three children.
Maverick County has a poor record of providing assistance to domestic violence victims and their children such as Jessica Lenora Colecio. Although some law enforcement officials and community advocates provide counseling and/or assistance to domestic violence victims and their children, the overall community response from law enforcement, legal system, and judicial system is lackadaisical and inadequate. Many domestic violence victims complain that the Maverick County legal and judicial systems do not understand their problems and physical and psychological injuries caused upon them by their spouses or intimate partners.
Domestic violence victims hurt, pain, and problems are compounded from the lack of community resources to assist, counsel, protect, and defend victims and their children. Many domestic violence victims complain that local law enforcement, legal and judicial systems protect their perpetrators, particularly if their intimate partner is a member of a law enforcement agency, related to someone in law enforcement, or related to local political or public officials.
Domestic violence victims complain that more attention and assistance is needed to be given to victims instead of the perpetrators. Many domestic violence victims do not report to law enforcement the severe physical beatings, assaults, and psychological injuries inflicted upon them by their intimate partners for fear of retaliation and the lack of support from local law enforcement, legal and judicial systems, and the community.
Jimenez received only a 25 year sentence for the murder of Colecio as a result of a plea bargain agreement reached between his attorney and the District Attorney’s Office, which was approved by Visiting District Judge Paul Canales of San Antonio, Texas at a February 5, 2015 Court hearing in the 293rd Judicial District Court.
One local community advocate organization which has been providing assistance to domestic violence victims and their children for many years is the Winter Garden Women’s Shelter, which is grossly underfunded by the communities of Dimmit, Maverick, and Zavala Counties. A new community organization called the Maverick County Coalition Against Domestic Violence has recently formed with many community stakeholders participating in establishing a community support group for domestic violence victims and their children. The new group has obtained a Women’s Shelter for domestic violence victims and their children at a local church. The Maverick County Sheriff’s Department has applied for a state grant to fund a full-time domestic violence investigator/officer. While notable efforts are being locally made to assist domestic violence victims, greater community support and funding is required to genuinely address and attack the serious domestic violence problem facing Eagle Pass and Maverick County.
Carolina Gonzalez of the Winter Garden Women’s Shelter stated that during the Christmas holidays there is a significant increase of domestic violence cases but they go unreported because the victims do not want to upset or ruin their families holidays and traditions. The increased consumption of alcohol beverages and financial disputes or problems due to the holidays provides a toxic mix for a rise in domestic violence incidents/cases.
Gonzalez added that in many occasions, the victim lets the assault or battery go unreported in order to not disturb holiday traditions involving family gatherings and visitations, especially in settings involving their intimate partner. The toxic mix of circumstances often lead to undesired deadly or serious consequences.
“Often times, the victim is not willing to make that phone call to report violence. We do have a lot of the victims, who are not working and certain issues such as losing income, living accommodations, and the effect on the children, weigh heavy in deciding not to report the violence during the holidays. Alcohol abuse is a catalyst to domestic violence during the holidays and the true meaning of the holidays is lost, resulting in victims of domestic violence being victimized during what is supposed to be festive, family days,” said Gonzalez.
“Consequently, we have a lot of victims that are not willing to proceed with taking the steps necessary to ending their domestic violence ordeal. We offer them the help and they are often hesitant in either pressing charges against their aggressor or leaving them,” added Gonzalez.
Not until a community-wide strategy and response is developed and implemented by all the stakeholders, domestic violence will continue to be a serious and deadly community issue in Eagle Pass and Maverick County. All the community stakeholders from law enforcement agencies, legal and judicial systems, healthcare providers, schools, social service agencies, business community, religious organizations, and citizens need to take collective action in a united community-wide effort to combat domestic violence and assist its victims and their children. The community needs to say No to domestic violence, punish the perpetrators of domestic violence, assist and counsel the victims and their children, and respect with dignity and compassion all domestic violence victims, regardless of whom the domestic violence perpetrator is.
Gonzalez criticized the low sentence given to Jimenez for the murder of Colecio by the District Court. “25 years, is that what a life is worth? We all need to go out and help people who are victims of domestic violence in the community before it is too late. We need to stop this. We need to stop the abuse here in Eagle Pass and elsewhere. Next time, it could be you or your family,” said Gonzalez.
“Every woman or victim needs to respect and love oneself because you should allow anyone to mistreat or hurt you and/or the children. If you are a domestic violence victim and have children, you need to think about your children because they are witnessing the violence and will grow up themselves to become aggressors or victims of domestic violence in the future, which is often inherited as a normalcy,” said Gonzalez.
Since domestic violence is an underreported criminal offense in every community, the community needs to support and assist those victims and their children who do get the courage and strength to report their intimate partner or spouse’s family violence against them.
“If somebody is harming you, you need to call the police. You need to think about yourself and children,” said Gonzalez.
If you are a domestic violence victim or know anyone who is being victimized, please call 911 or the Eagle Pass Police Department at (830) 773-9044 or the Maverick County Sheriff Department at (830) 773-2321 or the Winter Garden Women’s Shelter at (830) 757-5182.
