PASCO- Surenos desacrate Norteno's grave

The grave marker for a Pasco man gunned down in April was desecrated over the weekend with gang graffiti, burned flowers and urine.

Late Monday, Eutimio Vivero-Martinez's marker at Cityview Cemetery in Pasco still had a light blue tint from the spray paint. His son, Francisco Vivero of Pasco, earlier attempted to remove all traces of the destruction.

Vivero-Martinez, 38, died April 26 during a gang clash on 14th Avenue.

Convicted killer Christopher Ruesga, 17, was sentenced Oct. 9 to 15 years in prison. Ruesga is a member of the Sureo gang, which associates with the color blue.

Vivero-Martinez's home had reportedly been hit by shotgun blasts just hours before he was killed. He was with two known Norteo members when their group walked into Sureo territory and approached Ruesga and his friends.

Maria Vivero Cruz said Monday that her entire family is upset with the desecration of her brother's grave marker and the outcome of the criminal case.

Cruz said her father, Eutimio Vivero, was at the cemetery Friday night to take flowers to the adjacent markers for his sons Eutimio and Alberto. He returned Sunday to reportedly find the gang signs in blue paint, urine in a flower vase and both flowers and a red bandana burned on the stone.

Cruz said the family is tired of the retribution and called Pasco police about the vandalism.

"I am frustrated and hurting for my mom. She feels like she can't even let my brother rest because they're destroying him. They're messing with him," she said. "He's so innocent right now, and they can't even let him rest."

She questioned why some have nothing else to do but go out and destroy other people's property. It is "getting ugly with gangs" in the Tri-Cities, and people cannot walk the streets or enjoy time in the outdoors without worrying about what could happen, she said.

Cruz said she wants to write the Washington Legislature because she feels the state is too lenient on punishment for killers. The law actually discourages the people and gives no hope to those who have suffered a loss, she said.

"If you want to act like an adult you're going to get treated like an adult. We want the laws strong and heavy on kids so they don't go back and do what they're doing now," said Cruz, who is angered that Ruesga can return to society once he's served his time. "We lost and he gains a life. It's not fair, it's not fair at all."

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/922432.html