PHILADELPHIA, PA—Two things are certain about Franchesca “Cheka” Alvarado: she was loved deeply and is missed fiercely.
Her family and friends have spent over a decade refusing to let her memory fade. From rallies to flyers to media outreach, they’ve never stopped fighting for answers. But justice has yet to come.
Franchesca, affectionately known as “Cheka,” was born and raised in Philadelphia. After losing her mother at the age of 9, she leaned even harder on her sisters, Tina and Frances. She adored her young daughter, whom she raised alone, and had plans to enroll in criminal justice courses at a local college.…