Arizona Families Use Empty Chairs to Spotlight Unsolved Cases

Families and advocates placed empty chairs around a holiday table outside the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix on November 2, honoring people lost to unsolved homicides and missing-person cases. Organizers called the gathering the Empty Chair Project and said the display reflected the grief families face as the holiday season approaches.

Photographs, name cards, place settings and stones were arranged on the table. Organizer Karen Dana said pink stones represented 700 missing-person cases in Arizona, while purple stones stood for more than 7,000 unsolved homicides. Dana’s cousin, Loretta Lynn, was killed in a Mesa homicide in 1988.

The gathering also brought together families of people killed in recent years. Brenda Gilliam’s daughter, Destiny McClain, died after being shot in Phoenix in 2021. Kristy Stanford’s husband, Detrick, died after gunfire outside their Tempe apartment complex in December 2020. Families said meeting others who understood their experiences offered support, even as the losses remained painful.

Participants called for greater attention and resources for cold cases and missing-person investigations. Stanford said she hoped that speaking publicly would prompt someone to recall information that could help solve her husband’s case. Organizers also urged people with information to contact Silent Witness, which accepts anonymous tips by phone or online.

This was the project’s first event. Organizers hope to hold more gatherings, meet with state leaders and establish the group as an official nonprofit.

Arizona Must Give Cold Cases the Attention Families Demand

The empty chairs outside Arizona’s Capitol made visible what families say must not be ignored: loved ones taken by homicide or still missing, and cases that remain unresolved. On November 2, families and advocates assembled a holiday table as part of the first Empty Chair Project event, pressing for more attention and resources.

Organizer Karen Dana said pink stones on the display represented 700 missing-person cases in Arizona, while purple stones symbolized more than 7,000 unsolved homicides. Her cousin, Loretta Lynn, was murdered in Mesa in 1988. Dana said the display was intended to make the absence of those loved ones impossible to overlook.

The families described the lasting grief behind the statistics. Brenda Gilliam’s daughter, Destiny McClain, was killed by gunfire in Phoenix in 2021. Kristy Stanford’s husband, Detrick, lost his life in a shooting outside their Tempe apartment complex in December 2020. Stanford hopes that keeping his name in public view may bring forward information that can help resolve his case.

The participants called for sustained attention to cases that have gone cold, and organizers want to meet with state leaders. They also plan to pursue nonprofit status and hope to hold more events. People with information can submit anonymous tips to Silent Witness by phone or online.

Families Seek Answers as Arizona Cold Cases Remain Unsolved

Thousands of Arizona homicide and missing-person cases remain unresolved, and families gathered outside the state Capitol on November 2 to call for answers. The Empty Chair Project used a holiday table and vacant seats to put the human cost of those cases in view and press state leaders for continued attention.

Organizers said pink stones represented 700 missing people and purple stones more than 7,000 unsolved homicides. Karen Dana, whose cousin Loretta Lynn was murdered in Mesa in 1988, said the display was meant to make clear that each case concerns a person who should still be with their family.

Families also spoke about losses that remain painful years later. In 2021, gunfire in Phoenix killed Destiny McClain; her mother, Brenda Gilliam, attended the gathering. Kristy Stanford’s husband, Detrick, lost his life in a shooting outside their Tempe apartment complex in December 2020. Stanford hopes that renewed public attention could help someone share information about his case.

Participants want more resources and attention for cold cases and missing-person investigations. Organizers plan to seek meetings with state leaders, form a nonprofit and hold additional gatherings. They urged anyone with relevant information to submit an anonymous tip to Silent Witness.