'Put The Focus Back On Victims:' Families Honor Loved Ones Lost To Violent Crime

Dozens of Green Country families took time to remember their loved ones killed in violent crimes tonight.

The District Attorney’s Office for Rogers, Mayes, and Craig Counties held a candlelight vigil to honor the victims as family members put personalized ornaments on a Christmas tree.

Many of these families created ornaments with pictures and messages on them and say they want to make sure the victims are never forgotten.

Gabe Johnson was 19 when he was killed in June of 2021 by a semi-driver in Craig County.

Johnson's mother, Beth Johnson, says the driver was driving in a no-passing zone when he hit Johnson, who was in a tractor.

Johnson says spending the holidays without Gabe is tough.

“This time of year is hard," said Johnson." June is hard. But when you’re a momma, every day is hard. You still wake up every day and you have your good days, and you have your bad days. You just keep going on.”

Each ornament on the tree represents a loved one lost to a violent crime.

District Attorney Matt Ballard says since Jan. 1, 2015, when he took office, more than 140 criminal cases that resulted in a community member's death have been brought to his office for prosecution.

Ballard says criminal cases often focus on the suspects, but he wants to make sure the focus is put where it belongs- on the victims.

“It’s so important to put the focus back on victims, said Ballard. "So often in a criminal case, you focus on the people who committed the crime, and this is really our chance to put that focus back on the one who have been harmed by criminals.”

It’s also a chance for families to talk with other people dealing with similar losses.

“Their experience doesn’t end with the court case," said Ballard. "It goes on, and the suffering is real, and it continues. And this is an opportunity for them to come together and to hold their loved ones up.”

Johnson says she will do everything she can to keep Gabe’s memory alive until the day they meet again.

“I live without having him in my life, the rest of my life," said Johnson. "He doesn’t get to meet love, he doesn’t get to have children. One of these days, on the other side, I’m going to get to have him back.”

This is the first time Ballard's office has held the Tree of Remembrance ceremony, and they’ll save the ornaments to put them on the tree next year.