Becky Montoya, legal advocate for the Crisis Center of Comal County (CCCC), sobbed at Wednesday’s Candlelight Vigil at Main Plaza in New Braunfels as she read aloud the names of Texans who lost their lives to family violence in 2023.
One of the victims was 19-year-old Andreanna Maria Flores of New Braunfels, who died after boyfriend Gilberto Sepulveda, 25, murdered her on May 19, 2023. Flores was trying to end their relationship when she disappeared, leaving behind two young children.
Montoya was comforted by CCCC’s Chief Impact Officer Nicholle Kepczyk, who told the small group of people gathered at the vigil they were there not just to mourn but also to renew the community’s commitment to creating a future free from violence and abuse.
“Tonight, we hold space for the 205 Texans who lost their lives to family violence in 2023,” said CCCC CEO Julie Strentzsch, Ph.D. “These tragedies are not just numbers, they are women, men and children whose lives were taken too soon.”
Over 70% of victims killed by their intimate partners had already taken steps to end the abuse. Many had sought help, left their abusers and were actively trying to change their situations.
“This tells us that while resources like shelters, hotlines and legal aid are critical, they are only part of the solution,” Strentzsch said. “We must work together to ensure that when someone makes that brave decision to leave, they have the support and safety they need to rebuild their lives.”
Access to housing, education and resources make it even harder for some survivors to escape the cycle of violence.
CCCC wants to continue to expand its services and also to advocate for affordable housing and job-training opportunities for survivors.
In 2025, the 38-year-old organization open the doors of a new $11 million, 30,000-square-foot building that will allow people to heal in their own space and keep families together.
Nicholle Kepczyk, chief impact officer for the CCCC, said in the past year alone the center has served 1,280 people, with total services more than doubling to over 24,600 individual “touchpoints” or ways domestic violence survivors can interact with the shelter.
In 2024, 35 staff members and volunteers answered over 1,000 hotline calls.
“It takes immense courage for a survivor to make that call, and we are honored to be the voice on the other end, providing support, guidance and compassion,” she said. “Our services include counseling, legal advocacy, housing support and emergency shelter, all free of charge.”
Paulini said many survivors’ first point of contact with the system is law enforcement.
In Comal County, officers, deputies and detectives receive specialized training to respond with compassion, sensitivity and professionalism when domestic violence calls come in.
They learn to conduct lethality assessments to evaluate immediate danger, coordinate with shelters like CCCC to ensure victims have a safe place to go, and how to work closely with legal advocates to access protective orders quickly and efficiently.
Crisis intervention teams collaborate with mental health professionals and victim advocates.
“These partnerships are crucial, as they help survivors feel supported during some of the most difficult moments in their lives,” Paulini said.
Also at Wednesday’s vigil were District Attorney Jennifer Tharp, Victim Assistance Coordinator Sarah Henrie and Misdemeanor Clerk Sara Martin.
Kepczyk said CCCC offers experiential tours of its facilities so the public can get a closer look at what it does.
“We would love to show you firsthand how we are making a difference,” she said.
For more information visit crisiscenternb.org.
