Ernesto Garcia, 58, was beaten to death on August 30, 2014, in Chicago while he tried to sleep in an alley. He was homeless at the time and the attack was carried out by two men; reports say the only reason Garcia was targeted was because of his homelessness.

A native of Guatemala who had come to Chicago seeking a better life, Garcia was described by friends as gentle and was only days shy of his 60th birthday. The Logan Square community held a memorial organized by the Logan Square Ecumenical Alliance attended by about fifty people, where mourners lit candles that struggled in the wind—a symbol of the fragility of life for those without stable housing.

The killing drew attention to violence against marginalized people and prompted calls for social and systemic change to protect the homeless. If anyone knew Ernesto, his last days, or the circumstances of the August 30 attack, please come forward with information.