A week after Gardner murder there's no closure - what domestic violence advocates say

More than a week after the search began for a Gardner man wanted in the shooting death of his wife, advocates are hoping that the tragic event that left neighbors shaken will raise awareness and prompt frank conversations about domestic violence in the community.

Marienelly Vaszquez, director of clinical services and community outreach with YWCA Central Massachusetts, said deadly acts of domestic violence can be devastating for everyone, even those who did not personally know the victim.

“When somebody dies in this way, it’s tragic, it’s disturbing, and it’s really sad,” she explained. “It’s like a collective trauma.”

Situation remains unresolved

Aaron Pennington has been on the run since the morning of Sunday, Oct. 22, when police discovered the body of his wife, Breanne Pennington, in the couple’s Cherry St. home. She had been shot in the head, according to investigators. The discovery of Aaron Pennington’s car in the woods near Camp Collier set off a week-long search in the area, but the suspect was not located.

Richard said the recent shootings in Worcester and Maine only added to the apprehension that many residents were feeling following the incident in Gardner.

Bernice Richard, president of Voices of Truth and coordinator of the Gardner Domestic Violence Task Force, said the fact that the suspect in the case was still on the loose meant residents were still waiting for the situation to be resolved.

"It's highly affecting the community because there is no closure," she said. "We've got it in our minds every minute of every day, we're wondering, and I'm sure law enforcement is actively doing what they're supposed to be doing. It's certainly frustrating."

More: Dive team called: Search for Aaron Pennington expands to Lake Wampanoag in Gardner

Advocates hope incident will highlight dangers of domestic violence

This kind of incident often shines a light on the pervasiveness of domestic violence in the community, and how difficult it can be to identify, according to Vasquez.

“It’s hard to tell when people are so high-functioning – they’re smiling, they’re happy in the community, but we don’t know what people are going through behind the scenes and what they’re doing in order to survive and take care of their children,” she said.

The YWCA Central Massachusetts often sees an uptick in phone calls in the days following a high-profile incident of domestic violence, according to Vasquez.

“A lot of it is (people) trying to process it and understand it, I think, and people looking for ways to support someone, especially if they’re calling on behalf of someone else, and learn how to prevent something like this from happening (to a loved one),” she said.

More: Days after Gardner murder: Suspect at large; court details and GoFundMe for children

Domestic violence resources available

Anyone with questions about domestic violence and signs to look for is urged to call the YWCA’s free 24-hour, confidential helpline 508-755-9030, or contact the organization’s chatline. The YWCA offers one-on-one support counseling, support groups, and several advocacy programs.

Residents can process their grief and cope with the trauma in different ways, but talking about what happened and what lessons could be drawn from the situation was an important step, Vasquez said.

More: Murder warrant issued for Gardner murder suspect: What details the court documents reveal

“How can we as a community, when we’re seeing things like this, support individuals who may be experiencing abuse?” she said. “And when reflecting and talking about this as a community, I think that celebrating (Breanne) for the qualities that she had and the life that she did live and what a wonderful person she was is a way to keep her from becoming a statistic. But this was a real person who had a whole life that was taken away.”

Gardner officials to update community about public vigils

In his weekly address to the city, Mayor Michael Nicholson said he was grateful for the number of people who had reached out to his office looking for ways to remember Breanne Pennington. But he said the city would follow the recommendation of law enforcement officials and local domestic violence groups and delay any kind of public vigil until a later date.

“This is something that is still on ongoing, active and fluid investigation (and) we have a suspect that is still not apprehended yet,” Nicholson explained. “Most importantly, we have a family that this is still very fresh for. Those kids went to bed thinking that everything was fine, then woke up de facto orphans, with a mother who was deceased and a father who was on the run.”

A public vigil, held at an appropriate time, would be an important step for residents seeking closure after the tragedy, according to Richard.

"We need to begin that healing process, and a vigil is a major source of that healing process," she said. "And I'm hoping it's not months down the road, but it could be because we just don't know."

Nicholson said officials would keep residents updated about future plans for a public vigil in the city.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Domestic violence advocates urge awareness following Gardner homicide