Lighting the way for healing and change-Henrico County’s held its annual Candlelight & Ribbon Tying Ceremony on Tuesday to honor homicide victims. Sponsored by the Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Victim/Witness Program, the event featured prayer, remarks from friends and family of the deceased, a memorial board of photographs and a memorial tree where participants placed the names of those they have lost. Early reports show the county has recorded just two homicides through December 2025, down from 22 during the same period last year — a potential 91% decrease if the trend holds through year’s end. Shakim “Shaka” Woodberry holds a framed photo of him and his daughter at the ceremony Dec. 2 outside the government center. She was killed in 2019. Woodberry has since helped found Fathers Advocating Community Teamwork Solutions, a group working to turn “pain into progress.” (Photo by Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press)
