Current Release: September 11th, 2007 | Vol. XXIV Iss. 10

Our Voice

staff

Oct. 11 marked the one-year anniversary of the murder of Officer Walter “Wally” Zakrewski. Clues to the identity of his murderer remain a mystery, even after the promise of a $25,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of whoever committed the crime.

But, with no investigator assigned to the case, what good does the reward do without the assistance of the Virginia Beach Police Department?

According to VBPD Public Information Officer Rene Ball, another investigator will be assigned to the case.

We want to know when. For a year, the campus community has lived in the wake of an unsolved murder of one of its own. While we live with heightened security measures and Wally’s widow and family lives with his tragic loss, his murderer lives on without consequence.

We are living with the consequence.

Detective Paul Yoakam, the former lead detective, has retired since taking on the case. So, why is this still being referred to as an “open investigation” if no one is investigating?

On Oct. 10, VWC held a ceremony in remembrance of Wally. Mary Ann, Wally’s widow, along with members of the campus, honored the memory of his life with a wreath and replica of a plaque soon to be added to the Catherine Cookson Peace Garden.

But a plaque is not enough.

A plaque will not take the place of a continued investigation. Who knows whether or not the mystery will ever be solved, but we will not settle for a closed investigation after only a year.

Do not call the investigation “open” if there is no investigator assigned to the case.

And do not think that we will forget so easily.