Confidence Gap In Immigrants’ Deaths

Town officials in East Hampton and Southampton are facing a challenge to public confidence following the death amid questionable circumstances of a second immigrant from Latin America that was deemed a suicide. The quicker that police are able to regain the trust of the region’s Spanish-speaking residents, the better. Unfortunately, their outreach so far has been wanting.

In the recent incident, Lilia Aucapina was found dead, hanging in the woods near her Sagaponack house. The discovery took place 40 days after she was reported missing by her family, who this week called for greater efforts in the investigation of her disappearance and death. This followed a similar plea in October concerning the 2014 death in East Hampton of Gabriela Armijos, which police also said was a suicide.

Reportedly, both Ms. Armijos and Ms. Aucapina had been harassed by men with whom they had had intimate relationships. In Ms. Armijos’s case, her family said she had been harassed by an ex-boyfriend. A private investigator hired by LatinoJustice pointed to what he alleged were numerous mistakes in the East Hampton Town Police Department work that followed. Police were called the same day that Ms. Aucapina went missing after a confrontation involving her, her estranged husband, and a new boyfriend. 

The similarities between the women’s disappearances are notable but are not the only problem now for police and town officials. A Tuesday vigil outside Southampton Town Hall calling for a renewed look at Ms. Aucapina’s death indicates that a significant number of residents have had their faith in police shaken. Their views must be taken seriously.

Whether or not police higher-ups believe there is reason to further probe the women’s deaths, they must take visible steps to improve relations with the area’s Latino communities. Successful law enforcement depends on a sense of shared purpose between police and residents — and the belief that all groups are treated fairly. Officials in both towns must make every effort to win back their support.