Mom appeals for return of daughter's mementos

Christine Pelayo has a video and a few pictures that show her murdered daughter.

Everything else was stolen from a storage unit that Pelayo has rented for about six years in Yakima.

Pelayo, who reported the burglary to Yakima police on Monday, is hoping the thieves will realize the sentimental value of the items and leave the property somewhere it can be recovered.

"I know they are going to be shocked when they find out they stole a murdered girl's things," Pelayo said, hoping that publicity would "soften their heart."

Pelayo's 13-year-old daughter, Anna, was found shot in the back of the head on a rural road outside of Pasco on Dec. 23, 1997.

Investigators believe they have identified the suspects, but they haven't been able to tie them to the crime, Franklin County sheriff's detectives told the Tri-City Herald in 2005.

Pelayo spent much of her time in the Lower Valley before the family moved to Pasco. A couple of months before she died, she had started running away to stay with friends in the Lower Valley, the Herald reported.

Since the homicide, Christine Pelayo has become active in efforts to help crime victims and reduce violence in the community. She has worked for Barrios Unidos, an anti-gang group, and made presentations for schools and community groups, among other efforts.

Pelayo said she hadn't even sorted through most of the boxes of her daughter's last belongings. News clippings, funeral photos and other material related to her daughter's death were also in the storage unit.

"Most of it was never looked at since I lost Anna. It was just too hard to go through, but I can't imagine why anyone would want those things. There's no value there; they're not going to get anything out of it," Pelayo said.

Pelayo discovered the burglary at On-Guard Mini Storage, 920 E. Mead Ave., on Sunday afternoon. Everything but a bed was gone, including her grandmother's china dishes from the 1920s.

About 15 boxes of older commercial videos -- mostly comedies and Disney titles -- should be recognizable because they came from Video City USA.

The On-Guard property is fenced and has a video monitoring system, but the system does not include a film recording, Pelayo said.

A message left at On-Guard was not returned Monday.

Yakima police Capt. Greg Copeland said similar burglaries are not common, although an occasional cluster is reported.

He recommended that anyone considering renting a storage unit should talk with the company about security measures. Officers have been able to track down suspects in cases where the units are covered by a high-quality video recording system, he said.

It may also be a good idea to use locking containers for high-value items kept inside the storage unit.

Anyone with information about Pelayo's case may call Yakima police at 575-6200.

The Crimestoppers tip line can be reached at 248-9980. Callers can remain anonymous and may receive an award if their report leads to an arrest and felony charges.

* Mark Morey can be reached at 577-7671 or mmorey@yakimaherald.com.