KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — There have been 21 homicides so far in 2024 in Knox County, with that number only reaching 30 in all of 2023, according to the Knox County District Attorney's Office.
The "HOPE for Victims Brick Memorial" honors the lives of victims who died from a homicide. The bricks at the base of the memorial are more than just a foundation. Each brick holds a name, a birthday and the last day of someone's life.
"We've added a lot of bricks over the years," said Michael Berry, who helped start the memorial. "Honors their time on earth and their time after they were gone."
He and his wife, Joan Berry, started the memorial after their daughter Johnia was murdered.
"It gives support to people who are going through what we went through 20 years ago," said Michael.
New names have been added to the memorial every year with 20 people being given a brick this week. Some of those names include 22-year-old Danishka Melina Sibaja Mejía, 23-year-old Tristan Smith and 15-year-old Janaria Muhammad.
"Going through the criminal justice system after just experiencing the loss of a loved one is extremely traumatic," said Charme Allen, District Attorney General for Knox County.
Allen also said most of the homicides in the county are tied to domestic violence or drug activity.
"Homicides fluctuate, sometimes we're up sometimes we're down," Allen said. "There are other homicide victim families where their cases become cold and we aren't able to solve their cases for years."
The 20 names now join the dozens of others already etched in the past and are a reminder that each homicide is more than a number.