Dianne Jacqueline MacDonald

Jacque MacDonald's life changed forever when she received a call on March 25, 1988, informing her that her daughter, Debi, had been robbed, brutally murdered, and raped while Debi's 3-year-old daughter slept nearby. She was also informed that the murderer had not been apprehended by law enforcement. MacDonald began a relentless personal search for her daughter's killer. 

During her own search for justice, she was moved by the stories of other families of homicide victims and resolved to create a local sounding board for those who had suffered the same loss. In 1996, with the help of a local cable television station, MacDonald taped The Victim's Voice, a program dedicated to the search for justice for crime victims and their families. On a shoestring budget, MacDonald has kept The Victim's Voice on the air for 10 years; the show is now in 60 communities. 

The program highlights unsolved cases, crime legislation, the criminal justice system, law enforcement, and the impact of crimes on families. In 2000, The Victim's Voice took to the airwaves as MacDonald began broadcasting a weekly radio talk show. She has been on the side of countless families over the years as they struggle to come to terms with a life-altering tragedy. 

A tireless advocate for crime victims' legislation, MacDonald has lobbied the California legislature to amend the penal code and criminalize the rape of a dead body. MacDonald has helped to bring attention and financial resources to victims and their families. MacDonald, through her work with The Victim's Voice, continues to serve as a beacon of hope for others seeking justice for their murdered relatives and friends. 

Jacque MacDonald was nominated by Larry Morse II, District Attorney, Merced County District Attorney's Office, Merced, California.