“She certainly had more life to live and more love to give,” said Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh, who spoke at the event. “That life was taken from her by inexplicable evil.”

Martinez-Perez pleaded guilty April 9 to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped their pursuit of the death penalty.

Martinez-Perez said he had spent the night partying and drinking and became “mad at women” because he had been rejected by a couple of women at a party. That anger apparently led to the random breakin, beating and sexual assault.

Other event speakers Saturday included State Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa, R-Council Bluffs, and U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

“We have immigration laws on the books that need to be enforced,” Hanusa said. “Our borders should be made secure. We need to follow the law.”

King criticized presidential leadership and discussed a resolution he introduced Thursday in Congress that calls for southern border governors to deploy National Guard troops to prevent illegal immigration.