FRIENDS RECALL SLAIN LOVED ONES.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

QUARTZ HILL - Friends and family of slain Antelope Valley residents whose murders remain unsolved gathered Saturday at a Quartz Hill church to remember their lost loved ones.

The event was organized in an effort to bring together the families of murder victims who don't have closure in their cases, for support and to meet people they can turn to in times of need.

``We're here to reach out and touch other families who have been wounded by senseless acts of murder,'' said Shari Martin, whose son Marshall Garrison was gunned down in front of Schooner's in Lancaster April 21, 2002.

``We're focusing on the remembrance of all unsolved murder victims,'' said Elaine Parks, whose nephew Timothy Navarro was murdered in his Lancaster condominium Jan. 2, 2000, just a few months shy of his 25th birthday.

Family members talked about their lost loved ones, sharing stories and showing pictures as they cried and consoled one another.

``They say that time heals all wounds, but they didn't know our Timmy,'' said Kim Lafayette, Navarro's cousin.

Parks, Lafayette and Martin organized the event at the Quartz Hill Foursquare Church in an effort to provide a ``sanctuary'' where a victim's family and friends could come and mourn their loss, celebrate the life of a lost loved one or get support from others who have been through a similar experience.

Jackie Emery of Quartz Hill heard about the event and decided to attend to offer her support knowing firsthand what many of the attendants have been through. Her husband, Ted, was shot to death in the parking lot of a grocery store Nov. 11, 1995 in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County.

Investigators believed it was either a botched robbery attempt or a gang initiation but were never able to catch the shooter.

``This man walked up and shot him in the heart and shot at me but he missed me,'' Emery said. ``I just came to offer my support because I know what it's like.''

Emery moved to the Antelope Valley soon after the shooting because she felt the high desert would be a safer place to live.

All of the family members in attendance say the detectives handling their cases are working as hard as they can, but,, because of the difficulties involved in many homicides, they have not yet been able to make any arrests.

``We've been so blessed to have Detective Tomlin working on our case,'' Parks said. ``He has done everything he can and thinks everything will fall into place pretty soon.''

Martin read a document from the city of Palmdale proclaiming April 26, 2003, a day of remembrance for all victims of unsolved homicides.

Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, R-Lancaster, and Norm Hickling, Field Deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich also attended to offer their support to the families.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1) Marshall Garrison

Killed April of 2002

(2) Tim Navarro

Killed January of 2000

(3) SUSPECT