Marcella "Sali" Grace Eiler (September 30, 1987 – September 15, 2008) was an American social activist from

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast. As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...

, who was raped and murdered in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

two weeks before her 21st birthday. For the last three years of her life, she had been living and working intermittently in

Oaxaca Oaxaca ( , also , , from nci, Huāxyacac ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca), is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of Mexico. It is ...

's provincial capital,

Oaxaca de Juárez Oaxaca de Juárez (), also Oaxaca City or simply Oaxaca (Valley Zapotec: ''Ndua''), is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Mexican state Oaxaca. It is the municipal seat for the surrounding Municipality of Oaxaca. It is in the Centro ...

, as a dance teacher and social activist, and acted as an observer for an indigenous rights organization. Eiler's body was found on September 24, 2008, near the Oaxaca town of San José del Pacifico, where she had arrived to dance at a fundraiser. Newspapers reported that after

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

resident Omar Yoguez Singu admitted that he had killed Eiler with a

machete Older machete from Latin America Gerber machete/saw combo Agustín Cruz Tinoco of San Agustín de las Juntas, Oaxaca">San_Agustín_de_las_Juntas.html" ;"title="Agustín Cruz Tinoco of San Agustín de las Juntas">Agustín Cruz Tinoco of San ...

, citizens oversaw his delivery into police custody. He was found guilty of murder and is serving his sentence in a Oaxacan prison.

References

Assassinated American activists Deaths by blade weapons People from Eugene, Oregon 1987 births 2008 deaths Place of birth missing People murdered in Mexico Rape in Mexico {{US-activist-stub

See also

References