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WILKES-BARRE – An illegal Mexican immigrant killed one year ago in a street fight was mourned Friday evening.

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Nicole Wilski, 17, and Brian Kerns, 18, of the First Presbyterian Church Youth Group, light candles for the peace vigil in memory of Luis Ramirez Zavala, who was beaten to death last year in Shenandoah.

Aimee Dilger/The Times Leader

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A peace vigil was held for Luis Ramirez Zavala, a father of three, who was beaten to death last year in Shenandoah, a small town about 17 miles south of Hazleton in Schuylkill County.

The beating occurred July 12, 2008, on West Lloyd Street. Zavala, 25, died two days later.

More than 50 people gathered at the vigil at River Common and lit candles in commemoration of Zavala’s beating death.

“We want to promote that in our community there is no place for hatred and bigotry and prejudice,” said the Rev. Ann Maria Acacio, president of the Wyoming Valley Interfaith Council. “We stand in solidarity with individuals from all cultures and all faiths.”

Acacio, who addressed the early evening crowd, said she believes that Zavala was killed by “a societal cancer of prejudice, hatred and bigotry.”

Zavala was a determined worker who not only supported his family but also his mother, said Rabbi Roger Lerner from Temple B’nai B’rith and facilitator for the Interfaith Council’s planning team for the event.

Lerner said that Zavala, who held two jobs, was respected and adored by his children.

At the age of 6, Zavala already knew that sometimes one needs to make sacrifices to survive, the rabbi spoke to the crowd at the vigil.

“This young 6-year-old handed his mother his piggy bank because he knew that without it they might not get by,” Lerner said.

The struggles Zavala endured as a young man did not bring him down as a young adult, the rabbi continued.

“But, now, instead of celebrating … we are commemorating a life cut short because of baseless hatred,” Lerner said.

Angel Jirau, a community diversity advocate for the Spanish-speaking community, said the purpose of the event was to put the message out that violence, prejudice and hatred won’t be tolerated any longer. “When you attack one person of any group you attack all,” said Jirau, who has been involved in civil rights for about 40 years.

Two Shenandoah teenagers charged in the beating death were acquitted by an all-white jury of the most serious charges and were convicted of simple assault instead. Prosecutors claimed the fight was racially motivated because ethnic slurs were used.

The Latino community was outraged and wants a federal prosecutor to re-charge the teens.

After the lighting of candles, the crowd headed toward the Susquehanna River. Bread was then tossed into the flowing river symbolizing a sense of solidarity for many there and a feeling of moving forward without fear of prejudice and hatred.

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