On a warm summer evening of June 20, 2005, my life was shattered.
My son, Javad Marshall-Fields, and his fiancée, Vivian Wolfe, were driving down a quiet street in Aurora when they were ambushed, shot downed and murdered. They had just graduated from Colorado State University, filled with dreams, plans, and purpose. But those dreams ended that night because Javad made a courageous choice to engage in the justice system. He was scheduled to testify in a murder trial.
Their lives were taken in an instant. Mine was changed forever.
The shock was indescribable. It felt like the Twin Towers had fallen all over again — only this time in Colorado, in my own life. My family was devastated. My faith and community were shaken. I was a mother forced to bury her only son, and I didn’t know how to go on.
My family, friends, co-workers, and faith community lifted me up when I needed it most – they refused to let me slip into darkness.
That collective power saved me.
From the very beginning, the Aurora Police Department and the 18th Judicial District poured their hearts into finding those responsible. Within eight weeks, arrests were made. Over the course of three difficult trials, each of the defendants was found guilty and sentenced to life without parole. The evidence was strong, and the jury confirmed what we already knew — that justice was necessary and deserved.
Still, there was no roadmap for what came next. Grief is a long road, but in time, I found a way to channel it into action.
I entered public service, not because it was easy, but because it became necessary. I served in the Colorado House of Representatives for six years, then went on to serve in the State Senate for the maximum of 8 years. Today, I serve as a county commissioner in Arapahoe County. Each step has been driven by my desire to make a difference, especially for victims, families, and communities touched by violence.
None of this would have been possible without the community that believed in the common good —neighbors, voters, survivors, and supporters helped light a path forward. Together, we’ve transformed tragedy into impact.
In memory of Javad and Vivian, we established the Fields-Wolfe Memorial Fund. Since 2005, this scholarship has empowered students to pursue their dreams at Colorado State University, the same place where Javad and Vivian studied, and cultivated their intellectual potential. Through this fund, their legacy lives on in the success of the next generation of leaders, and every diploma earned by our scholars is a symbol of resilience and remembrance.
On July 26, we will gather at the Denver Botanic Gardens for a 20th Anniversary Gala: Profiles in Courage. This special evening will honor Javad and Vivian’s lives, acknowledge the journey of healing, and celebrate the students who are carrying their legacy forward. The community is invited to join us.
To the law enforcement professionals who worked tirelessly on this case, to the jurors who upheld the truth, to the CSU family, and to every community member who stood beside my family in the darkest days — I thank you. Your support gave me strength when I had none. Your belief in justice and healing made my public service possible.
Twenty years later, the pain is still real. The hole left by their absence never closes. But I’ve learned that grief and purpose can coexist. Out of deep loss, something meaningful has grown.
Javad and Vivian stood for courage. For integrity. For possibility. And though their lives were stolen, their light continues to shine.
Rhonda Fields is a former Colorado State Representative and State Senator. She currently serves as Arapahoe County Commissioner for District 5. She is the founder of the Fields-Wolfe Memorial Fund.
It is difficult to understand how Rhonda Fields could go on and push SB217, a bill that has done irreparable damage to law enforcement in Colorado. Those officers who helped solve her son’s murder could not leave fast enough after she pushed through the legislation that made everyone less safe. Sad, sad.