June 5, 2025, marks the one-year anniversary of Luis Manuel Arguello-Inglis’ death, after he was shot and killed at Dolores Park. Last Tuesday, police announced the arrest of a suspect in his killing.
For Arguello-Inglis’ sister, Natalia Arguello-Inglis, the anniversary will bring reflection and sentimentality.
The “one-year mark after somebody transitions from this world is an important day and time in their transition, and it’s important that we be together, and that we have our prayers and our love present for him.”
She explained plans to build an altar with candles and flowers, while also welcoming any other offerings from those who want to “spend time with his energy.”
The anniversary comes as a memorial, donated by Mayor Daniel Lurie and his wife, Becca Prowda, has been installed at the park. In life, Arguello-Inglis, a Lowell High grad, frequented Dolores Park, which was described by friends and family as his personal refuge.
The memorial, installed through the Commemorative Bench Program, includes two plaques, one with Arguello-Inglis’ name, photo, birthdate and death date, and a second with a shortened version of an original poem on gun violence by Arguello-Inglis, written when he was 13.
Lurie and Prowda covered the full cost of the two plaques at $6,000 apiece, a donation Natalia described as a blessing.
Of note, Lurie never sought publicity for this; Mission Local learned of the $12,000 contribution through other reporting on the demise of the San Francisco Parks Alliance. Lurie and Prowda’s gift, thankfully, was not diverted to cover overhead costs, as was the case with other donors to the now-defunct nonprofit.
According to Daniel Montes, a communications manager for the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, both plaques have been installed as of June 4.
It’s a somewhat cathartic moment for the Arguello-Inglis family — but only somewhat.
“A piece of metal on a bench where my brother died … doesn’t do anything for the pain,” she said. “Somebody’s life being stolen, a young man who had so much, so many dreams and so much potential and had already contributed so much to his community and was thinking of how he could contribute more.”
Still, she recognizes the emotion it may draw out of those who were connected to Arguello-Inglis, describing it as a “focal point.”
“I hope that my brother’s face and his smile and who he is, a tiny piece of that gets to stay there, and that his friends and people who knew him or knew of him, will be able to go and feel closer to him and get to sit there.”
She mentioned coming to terms with the fact that Googling Arguello-Inglis’ name will produce results of his death, but she remembers the moments of his life much more. “He lived 19 years,” she said. “He was such a complex person and a beautiful young man who was going to contribute so much to our community.”
Can you tell us where the new bench is installed in Dolores Park? Thank you.