Man proposes creating garden to honor Roanoke murder victims, including cousin

‘Homicide is senseless and it needs to stop’

ROANOKE, Va. – Ryan Reilly is no stranger to grief.

On March 27, his cousin 33-year-old Cassandra “Cassie” Starr Pizzi, was found dead on 4th Street in southeast Roanoke.

Nearly six months later, police are still searching for clues and her killer. While Reilly waits for justice, he wants to turn his grief into something good.

“I was beside myself," said Reilly. “I knew I had to do something.”

Last week, Reilly went to Roanoke City Council with a proposal to build Starr Trail and Memorial Garden. He’d like the city to commission local artists to design and create stars for each person who was murdered this year and display those stars throughout Roanoke, eventually moving them to a memorial garden.

The trail and garden would be paid for with public and private funding from the city, local businesses or grants.

Reilly said he hopes the stars can help heal the community, put a face to the story and put a stop to the violence.

“I just want them to be able to look upon that star and reflect on who that person was, their story and know that they had a family that lost a loved one. And that they have to grieve over this loss for the rest of their life, senseless loss," said Reilly. “Homicide is senseless and it needs to stop.”

10 News reached out the city for a comment. The city manager said the city’s arts and culture coordinator is set to talk with Reilly. Then city leaders would see what, if any, next steps are possible.


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