Family of Hmong activist killed in Colombia raising money for lawyer’s fees

The family of a Hmong activist killed in Colombia has started a GoFundMe to raise money for the cost of lawyers in the victim’s case.

Tou Ger Xiong was kidnapped and killed in Medellín on Dec. 10. Court records say he went to meet a friend in the city but, hours later, he called a friend in the U.S. to tell him that he was kidnapped and his captors demanded a $2,000 ransom to free him.

In January, two men and a woman were charged with the crimes of aggravated kidnapping for extortion and aggravated homicide in the case, according to prosecutors.

The GoFundMe says Medellín law enforcement has arrested four of the five suspects involved in the murder, and the family of Xiong has retained a lawyer to “ensure those responsible are held accountable.”

“Tragically, his voice has been silenced, his life unjustly taken away. We’re reaching out to friends across the United States, urging you to join us in a collective effort to close the last chapter of Tou Ger’s life,” the GoFundMe states.

The family is asking for donations as small as $1 or up to a maximum of $20. The fundraiser has a $50,000 goal and has raised almost $2,000 since it was published on Monday.

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