SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Dozens of people gathered outside the San Diego County Administration Building on Saturday, June 10, to honor the life of a woman who was murdered seven years ago.
Krystal Mitchell was found strangled to death in a friend's apartment while visiting San Diego with her boyfriend, Raymond McLeod, in 2016.
McLeod, a former Marine, was on the run for six years.
Last Augusthe was found in El Salvador and extradited back to the United States. Now, he is in a county jail awaiting the preliminary hearing that is expected to take place this summer.
RELATED: Marine veteran accused of killing girlfriend arrested in El Salvador
"No one has the right to take a life. No one has the right to stop these people from living," said Josephine Wentzel, Mitchell's mother at the vigil on Saturday.
Wentzel is a retired police detective and lives in Washington. She and her family have flown down on several occasions for McLeod's court appearances, which have been delayed multiple times.
“It’s mixed emotions for my family and me being here and just knowing that this is where her life ended," said Wentzel.
RELATED: Ex-Marine accused of killing his girlfriend in 2016 enters not guilty plea
San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan vowed to get justice for Wentzel's family at the hearing.
“We will not leave a stone unturned in order to achieve justice for Krystal and her family," said Stephan.
Authorities have credited Wentzel with helping to locate the alleged killer, as she tracked McLeod down throughout the years he was on the run.
“This murderer messed with the wrong mother," the District Attorney said.
Her mom says Krystal was "the life of the party."
Wentzel has continued speaking publicly about her daughter's murder, saying her daughter "did not die in vain."
“A couple of women have contacted me and told me because of what I’m doing, because they’ve seen her mother fighting so hard, they’ve actually left violent relationships," said Wentzel.
Wentzel is hopeful McLeod will eventually plead guilty to her daughter's murder.
