July 15, 2003 - Portland Tribune: Peace Corps mum on death of Zachary Merrill

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2003: July 2003 Peace Corps Headlines: July 23, 2003 - Peace Corps Press Release: Updated to Investigation on death of PCV Zachary Merrill : July 15, 2003 - Portland Tribune: Peace Corps mum on death of Zachary Merrill

By Admin1 (admin) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 5:01 pm: Edit Post

Peace Corps mum on death of Zachary Merrill





Read and comment on this story from the Portland Tribune that the Peace Corps still has not released any details about the death of 23-year-old Zachary Merrill in Africa. According to a Peace Corps news release, Mali police and U.S. diplomats are investigating the circumstances surrounding Merrill's death. A Peace Corps spokeswoman would not elaborate on the nature of the investigation, or whether Merrill died from natural causes or was killed. Read the story at:

Peace Corps mum on death*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



Peace Corps mum on death

The Peace Corps still has not released any details about the death of 23-year-old Zachary Merrill in Africa.

Merrill, who grew up in Portland, graduated from Lake Oswego High School and Northwestern University. He then volunteered for the Peace Corps, serving nearly two years in Kampolosso, Mali.

He had just requested a one-year service extension when he died July 7.

According to a Peace Corps news release, Mali police and U.S. diplomats are investigating the circumstances surrounding Merrill's death.

A Peace Corps spokeswoman would not elaborate on the nature of the investigation, or whether Merrill died from natural causes or was killed.

Merrill's parents, Karen and Andy Merrill of Portland, referred all questions to Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C.

According to the Peace Corps, Merrill's work involved the construction of drinking water wells and the development of a women's gardening project. He had learned to speak the African language used in the region and was known throughout the village by his adopted nickname, Mahamedou Dembele.



Peace Corps Volunteer Zack Merrill found dead near Mali town





Read and comment on this obituary published on July 8, 2003 from the Oregonian that Peace Corps volunteer Zack Merrill has died while serving in the West African nation of Mali. Merrill's body was found near his work site, which was in the area of Bla, Peace Corps Press Secretary Barbara Daly said. Merrill worked in a village of about 800 people with no running water or electricity and an eight-hour trip outside the country's capital. He had been helping villagers with irrigation and water projects.

Our condolences to the Merrill family on behalf of the Returned Volunteer community. Read the story at:


Local grad is found dead near Mali town*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



Local grad is found dead near Mali town

07/09/03
AIMEE GREEN

A Lake Oswego High School graduate who has been working as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali for nearly two years was found dead Monday near a remote village where he worked.

Zachary Merrill's death is under investigation by the Peace Corps, the U.S. embassy in Mali and police in the western African country, said Peace Corps spokeswoman Barbara Daly in Washington, D.C.

Daly said they did not know whether Merrill died of natural causes, an accident or as the result of foul play.

Merrill's body was found near his work site, which was in the area of Bla, Daly said. Merrill worked in a village of about 800 people with no running water or electricity and an eight-hour trip outside the country's capital. He had been helping villagers with irrigation and water projects.

Merrill, 23, apparently was enjoying his two-year stint, which was nearing an end. He had a girlfriend, who also worked for the Peace Corps in Mali.

"He was set to close his service in November," Daly said. "He had actually requested a year-long extension."

Merrill was one of 174 Peace Corps volunteers in Mali, and one of 6,678 in 70 countries around the globe. After three months of training, volunteers serve two years in their host countries. They receive a $200 monthly stipend on average -- enough to live among the people of their countries -- and about $6,000 upon finishing their full terms.

The Peace Corps, which was founded in 1961, has been in Mali since 1971. Daly considers it safe. The U.S. Department of State reports good relations with Mali.

The last Peace Corps volunteer to die, Daly said, died in a bicycle accident in March 2001.

Merrill, whose family lives in Dunthorpe, attended Riverdale Grade School. He graduated from Lake Oswego High in 1997, and from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism in 2001.

In high school, he was sports editor for the school newspaper, a baseball player, a national merit commended scholar, a member of the Issues and Debate Club, vice president of physics for the Science Expo Club and apparently thrived in the outdoors. A photo in his senior yearbook shows him on a mountain next to his quote, "Hiking is superfly."

Merrill also spoke French at near fluency. That and his drive to help others took him to Mali, where French is the official language.

Through a Peace Corps representative, Merrill's family declined to comment.

Teacher Ricky Korach remembers Merrill as a very bright member of her high school honors English class. She was not surprised to learn he'd volunteered for the Peace Corps.

"He was a very socially conscious kid," Korach said. "He was a person very much interested in making the world a better place, in helping people. He was very outgoing." Aimee Green: 503-294-5969; aimeegreen@news.oregonian.com



Peace Corps Volunteer Zack Merrill dies in Mali





Read and comment on this story from Northwest News Channel 8 that Peace Corps volunteer Zack Merrill has died while serving in the West African nation of Mali. Mali police and the U.S. Embassy were investigating his death, but a Peace Corps spokeswoman said it does not appear suspicious. The Peace Corps believes Merrill died Sunday and is investigating the circumstances, Press Secretary Barbara Daly said. She declined to give further details, citing the ongoing investigation.

Our condolences to the Merrill family on behalf of the Returned Volunteer community. Read the story at:


Portland-area Peace Corps volunteer dies*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



Portland-area Peace Corps volunteer dies

07/08/2003

By DOUG IRVING and PAT DOORIS, KGW Staff

A Peace Corps volunteer from the Portland area has died while serving in the West African nation of Mali.

The body of Zack Merrill was found Monday in the large village of Bla, where he had served for nearly two years. Mali police and the U.S. Embassy were investigating his death, but a Peace Corps spokeswoman said it does not appear suspicious.

“It’s very highly unlikely that there’s anything of suspicion involved,” said Barbara Daly, the Peace Corps press secretary in Washington, DC.

The Peace Corps believes Merrill died Sunday and also is investigating the circumstances, Daly said. She declined to give further details, citing the ongoing investigation.

Merrill, 24, graduated from Lake Oswego High School in 1998. He was due to complete his two-year tour with the Peace Corps in November, Daly said. He had requested a one-year extension to focus on information technology in Mali; the Peace Corps was in the process of approving that request.

Merrill had stayed with a host family in Bla during his service there. Daly did not know what project he had been working on.

Merrill’s family declined to comment.

“He was definitely a very popular, well-received volunteer,” Daly said. “I’ve heard so many things about him.”

The Peace Corps has about 175 volunteers working in Mali, and some of them are working in the vicinity of Bla, Daly said.

The last Peace Corps volunteer to die overseas was Beth Bowers, who died in Africa in 2001 after a bike accident.




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7/15/03
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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Safety and Security of Volunteers; Obituaries

PCOL6810
21

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By bankass.com on Saturday, July 19, 2003 - 5:18 pm: Edit Post

This has really bothered me this weekend. I keep thinking of this guy. As you know readers, I went through my own problem with security and safety at my site in Mali. My village was Bankass. Bla is about 3 hours away, perhaps more, it has been along time since I looked on a map.

My worst suspicions came up in me. Since Peace Corps never investigated my situation carefully and I know the people who will be in charge of this investigation will come here to this web site. I would like to ask a few questions?

1. What was his direct hommelouges names or name?

2. Did he work for Affaire Sociale and who was supervisor there?

3. Are there guides in that village for tourists?
Have they been questioned? Who was with him regularly?

4. Please ask them if there were tourists from other countries in the village that day? People have passports and can be traced.

5. Are there other projects in that village from other countries such as Islamic countries like Libya?

6. Does the Spainish government have an approved project there?

7. Was the project he was working on controversial and if so to whom?


These are hypothetical suspicions on my part and based on my experiences. They may not have any relation to this young man and his circumtances.
I don't know if he passed from natural causes either. I am trying to offer my help and my experience.

INI Barake goes out to Zachary Merill. Which means you and your work.


Please give us a response soon.

God Bless to Zachary's family and girlfriend

Daniel

Bankass, Mali 1988-89

By bankass.com on Saturday, July 19, 2003 - 8:03 pm: Edit Post

I would like to put out some facts for people to know: These are the volunteers I know of who have died, been killed or are considered missing since 1996. My numbers maybe off and indivuals left out because I am unaware of their death. The increases in death, safety gliches, health care and attrition rates are becoming too much for us as former volunteers to watch. It is suspicious when a twenty three year old is found dead no matter where they are found.

The Following are the brave volunteers who have passed over the recent years

1. Nancy Coutu, Bow New Hampshire, Madagascar
2. Kevin Levielle, California, Ivory Coast
3. Elizabeth Bowers, Orgegon, Zambia
4. Susan Fagan, Ohio, Ghana
5. Larissa Jaffe, Utah, Zimbabwe
6. Walter Poirier,Massachusetts, Bolvia (missing)
7. Jang Lee, Uzbekistan, San Francisco, Ca.
8. Karen Phillips, Gabon, Philadephia
9. Brian Krow, Ukraine, California
10. Judith Pasmore, Lesotho, Oregon
11. Carlos Adamor, El Salvador, San Juan,Puerto
12. Kathyrn Macgillvary, Malawi,
13. Justin Bhansali, Guinea, Huntesville, Ala.
14. Jesse Thyne, Guinea, Pasadena, Ca.
15. William DiDiego, Ivory Coast, Greenwood, Sc.
16. Natalie Waldinger, Tanzania, Huntington, Ca.
17. Jennifer Rose, Malawi, Glenview, Ill.
18. Wyatt Pillsbury, Tanzania, Unity , Me.
19 John Bock,Phillipines, New York
20. Shelby Bond, South Africa
21. Thomas Longeran, Fiji
22. Eileen Longeran, Fiji

There may be more. These are all safety related death and an office of safety has helped, but implementing two volunteers at every site would reduce the risk to volunteers that is obviously out there. Was Zachary alone at his site, I am not sure?

The above are the facts and the recent writings on Safety, Health and Attrition Rates need a Congressional Hearing. The Peace Corps won't listen to its own. It is time before more tragedy happens for more families of volunteers who have died and also for volunteers who return with these type of issues who are abused by the Agency.

God Speed. I don't have my web site up any more so I wanted to at least make the facts be known.

Daniel

Mali-1988-89

By Tom Goodwin on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 10:03 am: Edit Post

The Oregonian

Metro Southwest News

COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT

07/23/03

Memorial service scheduled for Peace Corps volunteer

LAKE OSWEGO -- A memorial service for Zachary Merrill, a 23-year-old Peace Corps volunteer and Lake Oswego High School graduate, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, in Christ Church Episcopal Parish, 1060 Chandler Road, Lake Oswego.

Merrill had spent nearly two years working in the Peace Corps in a village of about 800 in Mali, the western African nation. A preliminary autopsy report released Tuesday found that he took his own life near his work site July 7.

Merrill, who grew up in Dunthorpe, attended Riverdale Grade School. He graduated from Lake Oswego High School in 1997 and Northwestern University with a degree in journalism in 2001.

In the Peace Corps, Merrill had spent almost two years on projects such as building a community garden to fight malnutrition and digging wells. He recently had applied for a one-year extension to assist in "information technology."
------------------------------------------------

I just saw this in the Oregonian

By bankass.com on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 7:41 pm: Edit Post

As I indicated above, twenty three Peace Corps have been killed, died or are considered missing since 1996. I was wrong. That number is 26 as far as I know.

These are fallen Honorable volunteers who have lost their lives during their service between the years 1996-2003.

1996- Kyrstin Scharninghausen, Charlestown, RI, Namibia, Auto Death Accident. There is a memorial fund set up through the Salamatu foundation for Kyrstin.

1997- Jeremy Rolfs, Glen View, Ill, Winburg, South Africa, Auto Accident.

1998- Victor Verloo, 64 of Sacramento, Ca. in Ukraine was stabbed to death.

I know the subject is not pleasant. But we need to remember and be perceptive in the future.

By Donna (c-24-62-133-87.hsd1.ma.comcast.net - 24.62.133.87) on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 4:23 pm: Edit Post

Daniel,

I would like to email you regarding some people on your list.


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