A young woman murdered after standing up for equality

16-year-old Izaak Joseph Vijil was charged by the 3rd District Court on Thursday afternoon after brutally stabbing a woman to death after she repeatedly told him to stop using racial slurs. These charges include murder, first degree felony, two counts of aggravated assault, second degree felony, committing a violent offence in front of a child and class B misdemeanour.

At about 6:00 pm on the 22nd April, the assailant was standing in a parking lot located at 4439 S, Brick Oven Way (170 West), with a group of other teenagers and appeared to be “making racial slurs,” according to charging documents. Witnesses in the vicinity have stated on social media that Izard was directing his comments at a family of color at an apartment complex across the road.

A bystander named Melissa Wood p, age 34 also lived at the complex and was outside playing with children at the time, she had heard what was being said and confronted the teenager. She told him that he was “being disrespectful,” the charges state.

The man continued with Wood and said to her “get out of my face at I’m going to slap you,” according to the charges. He then allegedly approached her and appeared to hit her in the chest but was in fact stabbed in the chest. Witnesses in the are have said that”they realized she had been stabbed after she had collapsed and was bleeding.”

The now injured woman was taken to a local hospital where she passed away a short time later. An autopsy determined that she was stabbed six times.

Police later obtained a message that Vijil sent on Snapchat shortly after the incident stating, “I need a ride out of state ASAP” while also stating he wasn’t going to be locked up for this,” the charges state

“Melissa died standing up for equality and everything she believed in,” Kelsey Robertson, Melissa’s friend posted on Facebook shortly after her death. “Melissa died doing the right thing, she lost her life to put an end to racism and inequality.”