Students, neighbors shocked by father-daughter murder suicide
Students at Eastwood Middle School remembered the 14-year old girl killed by her father through a memorial at the school that displayed Emily Rose Nevarez’s artwork, pictures and messages from others.
“We didn’t do anything over the PA or anything that was very impersonable. We actually met with every single student at our school yesterday and today,” said Malinda Villalobos, the school’s Principal.
Villalobos set up a no-judgement grief zone where students are opening up about their feelings and had counselors on standby.
Police said Emily was shot and killed by her father, Ramon Nevarez at their east El Paso home on the 11,600 block of Spencer Drive. According to El Paso Police, Ramon Nevarez shot and killed himself after shooting his daughter.
Emily died at the hospital after the shooting. A police spokesman said there was definite intent to kill Emily.
Pop up memorials like the one at Eastwood Middle School help people navigate through complex feelings over these kinds of senseless tragedies, said Dr. Rick Myers, Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Services at the University of Texas at El Paso. He’s an expert on Crisis intervention who has trained police departments around the world and has consulted companies like some near the World Trade Center after 9/11.
He said parents of the students who knew Emily should listen and admit there may never be answers to a senseless crime. “Being there and supporting them and listening to them is probably the most important thing they can do. Also to admit that they may not have all the answers and there probably will never be some of the answers to why this happened.”
Dr. Myers said many times when people are going through a crisis, the signs start off slow — maybe they sleep or eat more or less or they’re distracted or overwhelmed with a problem that spills into other parts of their life. Then they lose hope. If you notice that in someone – suggest they talk to a mental health professional.
One of Nevarez’s neighbors said they seemed like a peaceful family who mostly kept to themselves.
