THE SILENT WITNESS PROJECT
HISTORY OF THE SILENT WITNESS PROJECT
The Silent Witness Project is Texas A&M University's traveling memorial to victims of dating and domestic violence. Student Life has hosted this exhibit since 2004 in order to increase awareness and education about how these issues impact our state and local communities.
The Silent Witness exhibit contains 10 red, life-sized silhouettes, each representing a victim who lost their life through an act of dating or domestic violence. Each silhouette includes a shield with a summary about the victim.
Texas A&M's Silent Witness Project is part of the Silent Witness National Initiative, whose goal is to eliminate domestic violence-related homicides in the United States. Find out more about the National Initiative.
WHY IS THE SILENT WITNESS PROJECT NECESSARY?
Each October, the Texas Council on Family Violence publishes a fatality review that lists the number of individuals who were murdered by their partners in Texas during the previous year. The 2018 report includes women killed by their male intimate partners; men killed by their female partners; and men and women killed by same-sex partners.
In 2017, 211 Texans were killed by intimate partners: 174 women by their male intimate partners, 32 men by their female intimate partners, and 1 woman and 4 men were killed by same-sex partners. Of these 211 victims, 2 were from counties in the Brazos Valley.
We sincerely feel that the Silent Witness Project is a powerful means by which to educate our entire Texas A&M community about dating and domestic violence, and to motivate others to take action to reduce the number of individuals who are impacted by these crimes in Texas and the United States.
The office of Health Promotion has primary responsibility on the Texas A&M campus to educate students, faculty, and staff about interpersonal violence prevention and harm-reduction. The following opportunities are available to help our campus become more knowledgeable and active in these prevention efforts:
- Green Dot Bystander Intervention: This training uses a national, evidence-based curriculum to teach Aggies how to safely and effectively stop acts of violence before they have a chance to occur. Learn more about Green Dot and training registration.
- STAND Up: This workshop teaches Aggies how to provide meaningful, trauma-informed support to survivors of interpersonal violence. Learn more about STAND Up and workshop registration.
- Health Promotion Standard and Custom Presentations: Upon request, Health Promotion can provide presentations on a variety of wellness topics for student organizations, classrooms, residence halls, and other groups of interested students. Learn more about how to request a presentation from Health Promotion.
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN THE SILENT WITNESS PROJECT?
We invite Texas A&M colleges and departments to arrange for a Silent Witness exhibit. Please use the form below to request the Silent Witness Project, and help us bring awareness to the issues of dating and domestic violence.
Jacqueline Roquemore
Age 18
Texas A&M, Class of 2006
College Station, TX | December 28, 2002
Jacqueline was a first year Aggie education major, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend.
Her ex-boyfriend drove to see her at her College Station apartment. She was not there, so he waited overnight until she arrived the next day. He argued with her in the parking lot and shot her in the chest before turning the gun on himself.
Source: Texas Council on Family Violence, Honoring Texas Victims 2002 Report
Travis Joiner
Age 23
Texas A&M, Class of 2009
College Station, TX | March 6, 2009
Travis was a senior Aggie aerospace engineering major who was shot and killed by his sister’s boyfriend at the home he shared with his sister, Rachel.
Travis was shot multiple times and died on arrival at the hospital.
In May 2010, the person who killed Travis and Rachel was sentenced to the death penalty.
Source: Texas Council on Family Violence, Honoring Texas Victims 2009 Report
Maricarmen Quiroz-Octaviano
Age 21
Texas A&M, Class of 2017
College Station, TX | September 16, 2016
Maricarmen was a junior Aggie genetics major who was murdered by her boyfriend.
Police eventually tracked and captured her boyfriend at a residence near Fort Worth, where he confessed to police that he shot Maricarmen several times after an argument that took place in her College Station apartment.
Source: Texas Council on Family Violence, Honoring Texas Victims 2017 Report
Tynesha Stewart
Age 19
Texas A&M, Class of 2010
Houston, TX | March 15, 2007
Tynesha was a freshman Aggie engineering student who was killed by her ex-boyfriend when she went home for spring break.
It is believed that her ex-boyfriend murdered her after she told him that she had begun a new relationship.
Tynesha's murderer confessed to strangling her and trying to dispose of her remains. He has been convicted and sentenced to 99 years in prison.
Source: Texas Council on Family Violence, Honoring Texas Victims 2007 Report
Ashley Lenz
Age 20
Bryan, TX | September 24, 2011
Ashley Lenz was shot and killed by her boyfriend in his home. He then turn the gun on himself, dying by suicide.
Family members reported that her boyfriend had difficulty expressing his anger, and could be possessive, controlling and jealous.
Source: Texas Council on Family Violence, Honoring Texas Victims 2011 Report
Virginia Benefield
Age 46
Bryan, TX | January 18, 2018
Virginia Benefield died in the home she shared with her husband after he shot and killed her. Her husband also shot and killed their neighbor, Larry Darnell Davis, 65, and then turned the firearm on himself, dying by suicide.
Authorities discovered the deceased after a co-worker requested a welfare check when one of them did not show up to work.
Source: Texas Council on Family Violence, Honoring Texas Victims 2018 Report
Rachel Joiner
Age 21
Texas A&M, Class of 2010
College Station, TX | March 6, 2009
Rachel was a junior Aggie geology major who was shot and killed by her boyfriend at the home she shared with her brother, Travis.
Rachel was shot multiple times and fought to stay alive until she could tell authorities the name of her attacker, but died later during surgery.
In May 2010, the person who killed Rachel was sentenced to the death penalty.
Source: Texas Council on Family Violence, Honoring Texas Victims 2009 Report
Chrystal Espinosa
Age 29
San Antonio, TX | June 16, 2016
Chrystal Espinosa was stabbed and killed by her boyfriend inside their home. Chrystal’s two sons were present at the time of the murder.
Chrystal’s boyfriend contacted law enforcement and confessed to stabbing her.
Chrystal was six months pregnant at the time of her death. Authorities arrested and charged her boyfriend with capital murder.
Chrystal is survived by her two sons.
Source: Texas Council on Family Violence, Honoring Texas Victims 2016 Report
Stephanie Hope Redmond
Age 48
Normangee, TX | January 23, 2018
Stephanie Redmond died in her home when her husband shot and killed her. He then shot and killed himself.
A concerned family member asked a neighbor to check on them. The neighbor discovered their bodies and alerted police.
Source: Texas Council on Family Violence, Honoring Texas Victims 2018 Report