DAILY HELMSMAN Friday 03.29.13
The
Vol. 80 No. 092
Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Memphis
For a preview of the women’s tennis match, see page 4
Baseball
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Women’s tennis
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Community honors Vasquez
Murder victim’s vehicle found, no arrests made By L. Taylor Smith
news@dailyhelmsman.com Aaron Vasquez, sophomore communications major, was taking out the trash after his shift at El Toro Loco Bar and Grille when an unknown suspect stabbed him and stole his car. Vasquez was pronounced dead on the scene at approximately 3:45 a.m. Police have been searching for the vehicle, a 1998 Toyota RAV4, since the crime occurred. Vasquez’s vehicle was found unoccupied at the scene of the crime at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday according to Alyssa MaconMoore, a Memphis Police Department spokesperson. The recovered vehicle has since been towed to the Crime Scene Tunnel for processing. Police are still looking for a man caught on video surveillance at the Kroger that shares a parking lot with El Toro Loco. They believe the man may have information relevant to the homicide investigation. Last night, it was reported that a suspect had been arrested near El Toro Loco in relation to Vasquez’s murder. However, Macon-Moore has confirmed that the arrest was unrelated; no other arrests have been made, and no one has been brought in for questioning. n
Vasquez was an active member of the Memphis music scene before his untimely death.
By L. Taylor Smith
news@dailyhelmsman.com The funeral of recent murder victim Aaron Vasquez was held Wednesday at St. Ann Catholic Church in Bartlett, giving his friends an opportunity to remember his warmth, kindness and quirkiness. Vasquez was an alumnus of St. Benedict at Auburndale High School and a sophomore communications major at the University
of Memphis when he was murdered early Saturday morning. Kaitlyn Abernathy, sophomore criminal justice major, knew Vasquez for ten years and considered him one of her best friends. “It is hard to lose a close friend who shouldn’t have died so soon,” Abernathy said. “He had a long, successful life ahead of him, and it should not have been cut so short.” In the wake of his tragic death, she believes that others should
learn to be friends with everyone and live life to the fullest. “He was the kind of guy who could make you smile even when you felt like crying,” Abernathy said. “He has a passion that, if everyone had half of that, the world would be a better place.” For Kelsey Climer, who has known Vasquez for about five years, the funeral was especially moving because of the large turnout. “There were so many people
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM LEATHERS
that I wasn’t able to count. They had to set up fold-out chairs in the foyer,” Climer said. “It was a really emotional experience seeing all of our high school come together. Even though we’ve all been in college for a while now, it was like nothing changed.” Lindsey Wells, who attended the visitation, went to high school with Vasquez. “So many people showed up
see VasQUeZ on page 2
PSA announces rally to protest Raines’ raise
By Alexandra Pusateri news@dailyhelmsman.com
Members of the Progressive Student Alliance began congregating in the University Center, found seats in the food court and dispersed randomly throughout the tables and chairs. Suddenly, one of the members stood up and began shouting, eventually turning into a chant from the group saying, “On one side, Shirley, there’s poverty — on the other side, there’s you.” Internal outcry from PSA members erupted after The Daily
The Daily Helmsman is a “designated public forum.” Students have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The Daily Helmsman is pleased to make a maximum of 10 copies of each issue available to a reader for free. Additional copies are $1. Partial printing and distribution costs are provided by an allocation from the Student Activity Fee.
Helmsman published an article on March 27 reporting University President Shirley Raines’ 15.8 percent raise — about $50,000 dollars added to her $339,610 salary, according to the Tennessee Board of Regents. Vanlyn Turner-Ramsay, cochairman of the Progressive Student Alliance, said the organization had to take action after the news of Raines’ salary raise graced headlines Wednesday. “It was a slap in the face,” Turner-
see Psa on page 3
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PHOTO BY MICHELLE CORBET | STAFF
Makala scurlock, sophomore african american studies major, participates in the flash mob organized by the Progressive student alliance to protest University President shirley Raines’ $50,000 raise.
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