Community marches to demand justice for hit-and-run victim Marcela Herrera
By Austin Busch.
Marcela Herrera was fatally struck last summer in Pilsen by a driver who fled the scene. Yesterday, Sunday, April 20, her family and friends of held a rally in to demand answers from the Chicago Police Department over its handling of her case.
According to police, on Saturday, July 19, 2025, around 11:20 p.m., the hit-and-run driver of a silver Jeep struck and killed Herrera, and seriously injured her fiancé, Mauricio Leyva, 21, as they were crossing Ashland Avenue in a crosswalk at Cullerton Street.
After meeting up in Harrison Park, the rally began to march through Pilsen. The Chicago Police Department had their bike unit at the ready, but police leaders initially pushed back as the march entered the roadway. As the group of around 100 continued forward, the police relented, and CPD vehicles preceded the march to manage traffic at intersections.
Outside the Chicago Police District’s 12th District station, the march paused for a round of speakers to address the crowd. Marcela Herrera’s sister Naomi addressed the crowd first, on behalf of her family.
“How is it possible that this much time has passed, and we still have no answers?” she asked. “To the person who did this: you made a choice. You left her there. You ran. And we will not stop fighting until you are found.”
The family also encouraged those with information to share it with the authorities by texting “CPD Tip” to 738-477.
“To anyone who knows something, do the right thing,” Naomi Herrera said. “Help bring justice to my sister and peace to our family.”
Other speakers addressed the crowd to speak about the wider issues this case represents, with limited communication or clear signs of progress shown to victims’ families.
“We have heard countless reports from families across this city who say they were left in the dark, treated dismissively, retraumatized by broken communication,” said Leo Quintero, chair of the 12th Chicago Police District Council. “That is unacceptable. Whether someone believes in reform, whether they back the blue, or whether they are abolitionist, there is common ground here: When harm happens, it is the responsibility of this system, of this City, to investigate thoroughly, follow through, and to provide service that does not retraumatize.”
Quintero also encouraged rallygoers to attend the CCPSA Commission Meeting on April 30 at 6:30 p.m. at DePaul College Prep, 3300 N. Campbell Ave., where the commission is expected to hear about victim rights and services.
“It’s a paramount concern that we continue to make these demonstrations to push the city and administration into a position where they’re more likely to investigate these sort of crimes,” said Roberto Mario Martínez, the Herrera family’s attorney. “It’s because of your efforts that there’s likely going to be criminal charges filed soon, and as more information is made available, obviously it will become public. But for right now, really nothing is public.”
The conference finished with two songs performed by Rosalba Valdez. Following the conference outside of the police station, the march continued back down Blue Island Avenue and 18th Street, turning south onto Ashland towards the Cullerton/Ashland intersection where Herrera was struck.
The march again paused at the crash site and memorial outside Saint Pius V School, taking a moment of silence to honor the victim’s memory.
As the march ended in Harrison Park, the organizers reminded rallygoers to keep Marcela Herrera’s name present, and honor her spirit.
“There’s people that are ripping off her posters,” noted one of her friends to the crowd. “I always thought she was going to be famous, so, let’s make her famous one way or another.”
“As we pulled up to the Chicago Police Department, it started raining,” said another friend of Marcela who helped organize the rally. “We started our speeches, and the sun came out, just as it did on the day of her burial, “Marcela is still very much present here with us.”
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