AUSTIN, Texas — Community members in East Austin unveiled a new bench at the Heritage Village Pocket Park Saturday morning to honor a mother and son who were killed in a domestic violence incident last year.
Christina Michelle Limon, 39, and her son 14-year-old Rudy Xavier Limon Lira were shot and killed by Michelle's husband David Ontiveros when they walked into their home on April 22, 2022. Xavier was pronounced dead at the scene, while Michelle died from her injuries later that night.
More than a year later, their family still feels the loss more than ever.
"In my heart, I believe Christina Michelle and Rudy Xavier were walking angels," Limon's sister Patricia Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said in addition to the new bench honoring their legacy, it will also remind Austinites of the effects of family violence. Travis County had the fifth-highest number of domestic homicides in the state of Texas last year, and several organizations like The SAFE Alliance are working to bring that number down.
“I think it’s important that we’re here to honor Xavier and Michelle, because I think that we can stop abuse for everyone ... we do it together, all of us,” said Melinda Cantu, the Co-Chief Program Officer for The SAFE Alliance.
The Austin Travis County Family Violence Task Force is also working to lower domestic violence numbers. They are working on a firearms surrender protocol that would require anyone convicted of domestic violence to turn in any weapons they own.
At the bench unveiling, balloons were set up all around the park because Rodriguez said it reminds her of their presence. Michelle and Xavier were supposed to be at Rodriguez’ daughter’s graduation last year, but after they passed away, she said she felt their presence in a different way.
“One balloon decided that it was going to travel around the living room and go all the way up the stairs, down the hallway and into my room,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like that was a way of her telling me, 'We’re here.'”
After they unveiled the bench, dozens of balloons were released into the sky to remember their two fallen loved ones.
“It was a way for us to reach for them up in the sky,” Rodriguez said. “It felt like they knew we loved them very much.”
You can find more domestic violence resources from The SAFE Alliance, The Texas Council on Family Violence and The Austin Travis County Family Violence Task Force.