A silent march around the state Capitol this evening is intended to give the community a voice for its anger over the death of Iris Rodrigues-Kaikana, the teenager who was found slain a week ago.

"The community is angry," said Rep. John Mizuno D-30th (Kamehameha Heights, Kalihi Valley, Fort Shafter). "Murder isn't acceptable. The fact is that we had an innocent 18-year-old who just graduated high school and had her whole life ahead of her. It was snatched out of her hands, their family's and the community's. Her death has struck a nerve throughout the community and the state."

The nude body of Rodrigues-Kaikana, 18, was found face down and strangled the morning of Aug. 24 in an alley adjacent to the Kamehameha Homes housing project where she lived with her uncle.

Residents reported hearing screams the night before but did not want to come forward.

Her murder was one of several high-profile crimes that have occurred in the neighborhood in the past couple of years, Mizuno said.

Rodrigues-Kaikana, a McKinley High School graduate, worked part-time at the Fort Street McDonald's. She wanted to become a police officer, prosecutor or nurse and was planning to start college soon.

"I thank the community for their support and kindness as we try to move toward closure," Rodrigues-Kaikana's father, Steven Rodrigues, said yesterday in a statement. "I humbly ask for the community's help with any information related to my daughter's case."

The march is sponsored by Mizuno and family and friends of Rodrigues-Kaikana. In addition to the march, a reward has been posted from contributions made by the community.

One of the contributors was Stephany Sofos, a real estate consultant. She donated money to CrimeStoppers and to a reward for the arrest of the person or persons responsible for Rodrigues-Kaikana's death because she couldn't help thinking that the young woman would never get the opportunity to realize her dreams.

"I just want this guy to be caught," Sofos said yesterday. "I did my part. A little part, but I did something because the crime really bothered me. I thought of my nieces and of all the girls out there who dream of making something of themselves.

"I had to do something. "

If the donation leads to an arrest and unifies the community, then Sofos believes she's done something to help her community.

"We want our community back," Sofos said. "Maybe with my donation, someone with information will come forward and we can come together to stop the violence."