By David Mullen, Ames Tribune

 

“A person is still alive as long as her memory is,” Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds said on behalf of Celia Barquin Arozamena’s family.

“(Barquin Arozamena) was an example of important values, such as effort and constancy in her goals, friendship and love for those around her and a smile and positive attitude when facing daily problems. We cannot think of a better way to pay tribute to her memory than to have those values present in our daily lives and in our hearts,” Reynolds said as she read from the statement.

It has been nearly a year since Barquin Arozamena’s life was taken from her family, friends, the community of Iowa State University and Ames.

On Friday, Collin Daniel Richards apologized for his actions before District Court Judge Bethany Currie imposed his sentence at the Story County Justice Center, as 30 people, including members of the ISU women’s golf team, Ames Police Department and others watched on. He sat with his hands cuffed in his lap, dressed in a black and white jail uniform, looking forward as Currie handed down his sentence.

Richards was sentenced to life in prison without an opportunity for parole for the slaying of Barquin Arozamena in September 2018. Barquin Arozamena, a Spain native, was a member of Iowa State University’s women’s golf program and was awarded Female Athlete of the Year in 2018.

He pleaded guilty to the murder in June.

“What a tragic loss, a loss to Celia Barquin Arozamena of her life, a loss to her friends, her family, the university, the city, there’s no excuse for your actions,” Currie said as she was sentencing Richards. “You say you have remorse, and I hope that is true, you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison with time to reflect.”

Barquin Arozamena was found dead in a nearby pond at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames, Iowa, on the morning of Sept. 17, 2018. She was found with multiple stab wounds to her upper torso, head and neck.

Officers investigated and questioned members of the homeless camp near the golf course, and were able to identify Richards and link him to the scene of crime. He was charged later that day.

To Barquin Arozamena’s family, her life was cut short on that fateful day as she continued to train and pursue a childhood dream of competing in women’s golf at the highest possible level.

However, due to a “cruel, random and absurd crime,” that dream will never be able to happen; Her daily phone calls will never happen, and the feelings of joy during reunions for the holidays are gone, her family said in the statement read by Reynolds.

But the crime should never have happened, the family said in the statement.

“The fact that the criminal career of the culprit had not been corrected more effectively before it led to this fatal outcome,” the statement said.

Richards was sentenced to two years in prison in November 2017 in Guthrie County, but was released early. If he fulfilled the entire two years he would not have been in public at the time of the murder, Reynolds said.

“Had there been truth in sentencing here in Iowa, and (Richards had) done a two-year term, he wouldn’t have been out of prison at the time of this murder,” Reynolds said. “The family is absolutely right … truth and sentencing in Iowa is an issue, if we’re going to sentence someone to prison to two years, then they should go to prison for two years.”

Reynolds said now that the criminal case and sentencing is over, the healing can begin.

“I would say that we’re all changed, and violence changes everyone in the long-term … but hopefully bringing people to justice, and to clean our community from future offenses will bring a sense of peace, of comfort as a community, and a state,” Reynolds said.

Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen released a statement Friday afternoon that said, “We appreciate the work of the Story County Attorney’s Office and area law enforcement to bring justice to Celia Barquin Arozamena and her family. Celia was an exceptional student athlete and ambassador for Iowa State who is missed by many here.”