[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6477]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO EVA MURILLO

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                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 27, 2006

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the life 
of Eva Murillo. Ms. Murillo was a prominent advocate for victims and 
survivors of violent crime in the State of California. She passed away 
on April 4, 2005.
  Eva Murillo was born on July 29, 1946 in Delicias, Chihuahua, Mexico. 
She came to the United States at the age of 11 and lived in Sacramento, 
California where she became a United States citizen. Ms. Murillo earned 
her B.A. in Liberal Studies from California State University Northridge 
and upon graduation she worked as a Project Coordinator for El 
Proyecto, where she helped at-risk youth. In 1991 a business trip led 
her to Hanford, California, where she fell in love with the community 
and its small town charm. She immediately decided to move her family 
there.
  Shortly after her arrival in Hanford, Ms. Murillo worked with 
Kingsview Community Services. It was there that she discovered her 
passion to help victims of crime and embarked on a life-filling career. 
Mrs. Murillo's advocacy efforts include her twelve years of 
distinguished service to the Kings County Victim Witness Assistance 
Program, in which she compassionately pioneered efforts to help women 
in abusive relationships. Ms. Murillo's work ethic proved that working 
for victims and survivors of violent crime was more than just a job, 
but a way to give back to her community. Her uncanny ability to bring 
people together and her sincere demeanor truly represented the 2006 
National Crime Victims' Rights Week theme of ``Strength in Unity.''
  On March 26, 2006, Ms. Murillo accepted an award from the 
Soroptimists International of Hanford for making a difference in her 
community. An excerpt from the award given to Ms. Murillo described her 
as a person with ``true compassion for those she came into contact 
with.''
  To honor the tremendous contribution of Mrs. Murillo, the 
Congressional Victim's Rights Caucus has decided to name one of our 
annual victim's rights awards after her. It will be called ``The Eva 
Murillo Unsung Hero Award.'' This award will be given to a crime 
victim/survivor who has taken a personal tragedy to triumph over 
adversity. The honoree is a person who has utilized his or her 
experiences as a crime victim to promote public education and 
awareness, public policy development, or greater awareness about crime 
victim's rights and needs. Their efforts result in increased help and 
hope for other victims and survivors of crime.
  Eva Murillo is survived by her husband Tomas and three children: 
Gerald, Jo Ann and Lory. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law 
Irma and three grandchildren: Jade, Julian and Justine.
  Eva Murillo cared deeply about advocating for victims and witnesses 
of violent crime. Her warm and compassionate personality which inspired 
those around her will be missed deeply by the people of Kings County. I 
would like to extend my deepest condolences to her friends and family.

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