Honored Martyr's Story
Eight weeks before her 20th birthday, LaVena was pronounced to have committed suicide by the US occupying military and Department of Defense in Iraq. In her autopsy, however, she had a bruised face and loose teeth, as well as her genitalia nearly burned off with acids. All evidence pointed to LaVena being raped and killed in her living quarters. Bloody footprints were even found leading outside of her quarters. After her family demanded further investigation, many activists began petitions and independent investigators began to research the circumstances. Since the evidence was tightly locked by the Department of Defense, the family was never able to formally prove any wrongdoing and that LaVena’s suicide pronouncement was suspicious.