Season of Remembrance: Remembering Homicide Victims During the Holidays in the Middle of a Pandemic

Nov. 24, 2020 – Due to COVID-19, our office will be unable to host our annual Season of Remembrance event – a ceremony designed to remember Shelby County homicide victims – bringing a small bit of peace to their families during the holiday season. In lieu of our usual ceremony, we are providing socially-distanced opportunities to honor them, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

On Dec. 2, the Mighty Lights will glow red, white and black after sunset in honor of each of the 284 lives lost to violence in Memphis this year. Family members and friends are encouraged to go view the lights along the bluff on their own time. No formal gathering will take place.

On Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m., the Tennessee Season to Remember event in Nashville will be held virtually here. This annual event honors all Tennessee homicide victims. If you would like your family member’s name read during the ceremony, please submit their name to SeasonTo.Remember@tn.gov by Wednesday, November 25.  

During the first week of December, a special tree with a ribbon for each of this year’s homicide victims will be placed outside of 201 Poplar at the corner of BB King Blvd and Washington. Anyone who has lost someone to homicide can hang an ornament on the tree through the end of Dec. in memory of their loved one.   

On Dec. 7-11, our office will be doing a video series with speakers, music and much more. Follow our social media accounts at @ShelbyCountyDA to join us in remembering.

“Too many lives have been lost. Too many families are grieving,” said Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich. “No family should ever have to go through losing a loved one to violence – period. Our hope is that these socially-distanced opportunities bring you a bit of peace during this tougher holiday season.”

For the last nine years, our office has hosted Season of Remembrance. Although it is hard not being together this year, we are doing our part to keep our community safe. This could not have been done without the Mighty Lights, OneVoice at Briarcrest, the Cordova Choir, Pastor James Kirkwood, Pastor Rufus Smith, Grand Jury Unit ADA Dan Byer and Victim/Witness Unit Director Amy McCullough.