A community vigil will be held in the memory of Meshay Melendez and Layla Stewart, a mother and daughter who were found dead of suspected domestic violence.
The vigil will be held on Sunday, March 26, from 11 a.m. at Esther Short Park.
The National Women's Coalition Against Violence & Exploitation (NWCAVE) and YWCA Clark County are organizing the vigil with the family of Meshay and Layla. The event will remember the victims and bring awareness to the impacts of domestic violence on the community.
Attendees are asked to wear red and pink, the favorite colors of Meshay and Layla.
Rain is expected, so attendees should dress accordingly and bring umbrellas.
Meshay, 27, and Layla, 7, were found dead in a rural area near Washougal on Wednesday after being reported missing on March 20.
Meshay and Layla were last seen on March 12 with Meshay's boyfriend, Kirkland Warren, who had a documented record of violence and harassment against her. Melendez was seen unresponsive in his vehicle by a witness, who said Warren took Layla into the car before driving away.
Warren was released on bond on March 8 by the Vancouver DA after being arrested on March 2 for domestic violence against Meshay. He was found to be an "extreme risk" to Meshay, but was still released.
Just a few days after he was released, the mother and daughter went missing.
Warren is currently a person of interest in their deaths, and search warrants have been served for his property and vehicle.