Photo stories: Confronting Grief

Lorraine Ortega was fatally beat and stabbed by an ex-boyfriend October 1, 1993 inside her apartment in Salinas. He destroyed the apartment, ripping out the gas lines, hoping to destroy any evidence. 

Lorraine’s mother, Angie Ortega, went through years of uncertainty over whether or not her daughter’s killer would be caught. The legal and personal battles forever changed Angie. Her story is unique, but the experience is shared by those who have lost a loved one to a violent death. 

While their stories are difficult to hear, the loss of a loved one is followed by the strong desire to keep their memory. The portrait series invited Monterey County residents who have lost a family member through violence to confront viewers with a picture of the departed and their grief.