Victims of domestic violence killings honored in Las Vegas ceremony

Amanda Devlin said she will always remember her cousin, Breyanna Sotomayor, for her energy and her spirit.

“She had the life of the party energy and we can still try to bring that energy to help make it feel like she’s still here,” Devlin said. “It’s sad tonight, but it’s also good to remember her.”

Devlin, 26, made her comments outside the Robert E. “Bob” Price Recreation Center in northeast Las Vegas on Wednesday following a tree dedication and remembrance ceremony to honor domestic violence victims.

Sotomayor, a 33-year-old mother of three, was killed by her ex-boyfriend in Las Vegas on Jan. 25, 2024. The man later pleaded guilty to Sotomayor’s murder, District Court records show.

Sotomayor was one of 16 who lost their lives to domestic violence in the Metropolitan Police Department’s jurisdiction in 2024, police said. They were honored during the dusk ceremony on Wednesday, the second time Metro has hosted the event.

With the names of 15 victims being read, small purple notes with the 16 names were placed on the tree. One family requested that the name of their loved one not be read, a Metro spokeswoman said.

Many of the approximately 150 people in attendance wore purple in solidarity with the victims. According to the Domestic Violence Awareness Project, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

According to Metro statistics, the number of domestic violence victims who died last year was less than half of what the figure was in 2023.

While that marked a positive step, Metro Undersheriff Andrew Walsh said the goal is always zero.

“Sixteen lives lost is far too many,” Walsh said. “Each person had a story, and each (death) is truly a heartbreak for our community.”

According to the Nevada Coalition to end Domestic and Sexual Violence, 49 deaths in the state were classified as domestic violence crimes in 2024, a number which includes perpetrator deaths.

A total of 29 victims were female.

Elizabeth Abdur-Raheem, executive director of the coalition, said close to 90 percent of those homicides last year happened in Clark County.

She said that domestic violence affects the lives of many in Nevada.

“Law enforcement plays a critical role in domestic violence intervention, however it is only a small fraction of the reality happening in our families and communities,” Abdur-Raheem said.

“About 44 percent of women and 33 percent of men in Nevada will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. It is important that we as a community create a culture that believes and supports victim-survivors so we can stop this deadly reality.”

Metro’s Victim Services Unit organized Wednesday’s ceremony.

Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.