Hundreds of Texans were killed by intimate partners in 2023, report finds
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A statewide organization has released data showing how critical a problem domestic violence is in the state of Texas. According to the Texas Council on Family Violence, in 2023, 205 Texans were killed by their intimate partner. Four of those murder victims were El Pasoans.
This is according to the TCFV's report titled Honoring Texas Victims. The TCFV released the report during its annual statewide, hybrid town hall to launch Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Among the speakers was Mariah Gardner. Gardner's ex-husband is accused of shooting her five times, and attacking their two daughters with a knife, killing their 11-month old baby daughter Willow in April of 2023.
(Photo courtesy Mariah Gardner)
Gardner said she thinks focusing on the people who are killed by their intimate partner does not accurately depict the vast problem of domestic violence.
"I should have been on that list. My children should have been on that list," Gardner said. "Not due to lack of effort on the perpetrator's part, but because we survived, we weren't captured in the data. So, imagine how many lives have been broken, how many lives have been destroyed."
Gardner now works as an advocate and is trying to prevent more violence.
"I think if we included every act of physical violence it would be staggering; it would be so heartbreaking and chilling," Gardner said, adding, "I mean, just in my household, how many violent crimes happened that day?"
Gardner's baby daughter Willow Grace was among the 4 children murdered by a family member in Texas in 2023.
And while there were 11 fewer murders than last year, (216 in 2022; 205 in 2023) but the number of intimate partner homicides is up by 13 percent, from 181 in 2019.Â
A firearm was used in nearly 70 percent of the murders.
ABC-7's evening anchor Stephanie Valle served as virtual emcee and a guest speaker to talk about the impetus of her national award-winning podcast, Borderland Crimes.
Among the speakers at the event in Austin were Twila Carter, a Houston City Council member and Rep. Josey Garcia, (D) San Antonio, as well as Texas youth activist Olivia Julianna.
