UPTOWN CHICAGO COMMISSION

Uptown in the News  

October 19, 2003
Chicago Tribune
Slaying leaves Eritreans at a loss
Promising student's unsolved slaying on the West Side leaves a void in the community of African immigrants
By Manya A. Brachear, Tribune staff reporter

The Aug 18. slaying---still unsolved---devastated not only Tesfai's family, but an entire immigrant community.

Last month, the community held a town meeting at Truman College on the North Side, where many Eritreans live, to ask police not to abandon the search for Tesfai's killers. Another month went by before the family gathered for a wedding. His parents hid and cried so as not to upset the bride and groom. On Friday, his mother, Maaza Ogbasyen, finally returned to work.

Anghesom Atsbaha, a history professor at Truman and a leader in the Eritrean community, said an arrest would bring closure.