Memorial for Fort Myers murder victim torn down, leaving family heartbroken

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

A memorial built by the family of a 28-year-old Fort Myers murder victim was removed from Hough Street.

Julia Curvo's family placed the tribute in the empty lot where her body was found in late January.

“I was totally shocked. Why would someone do that? Why?" said Sandra Stephens, Curvo’s grandmother. "It wasn't hurting anybody. It was a place that I could go and talk to Julia because it was the last place that we knew she was."

The tribute, which included two wooden crosses, flowers, and photos of the 28-year-old, had been in place for two months. Only broken pieces of the wooden cross remain at the site.

“Why would they do it? It's so disrespectful to our family and to Julia," Stephens said. "It's been there for two months. We thought it was going to stay. We wanted it to be there until her killer was caught."

Curvo went missing for five days before her body was discovered on Hough Street at the end of January. Her disappearance and death prompted several dive searches in the area, and police are still working to identify her killer.

Fort Myers police and Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers are also investigating the removal of the memorial.

“I don't think there's a whole lot of cameras in the area to, like, pick up anything," said Trish Routte of Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers. "It's really going to count on somebody seeing something and stepping up."

Property records show the lot where the memorial was located is associated with a property management company. Gulf Coast News called the property manager, but we have not heard back.

Stephens is asking whoever took the memorial to reach out so she can continue to honor her granddaughter.

“Just call me. Call me. Bring it back to me. Call the Fort Myers Police Department. They'll give you my number," Stephens said. "We want that stuff back. That was a tribute to Julia. That wasn't something that needs to go in the garbage."

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