Dozens of people are expected to march in silence around the state Capitol today to remember the latest victim of domestic violence — and to show potential victims that they're not alone.

"We have to ensure the victims are not forgotten and to reinforce that we have to respond to domestic violence in our community," said Dennis Dunn, a deputy prosecuting attorney who is also a member of the board of directors of the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "People cannot be forgotten or we risk the same thing happening over and over again."

The silent march will begin at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Capitol.

On Oct. 21, former Maui police Lt. Barry W. Alford, 59, and his wife, Karolyn, 58, were discovered shot to death in their two-story home in Makawao.

An autopsy determined that Barry Alford died of a single gunshot wound to his head and police classified his death as a suicide.

The fact that Karolyn Alford's killer was a police officer shows that domestic violence affects every segment of the population, said Carol Lee, executive director of the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

"Domestic violence cuts across all economic lines, all races," Lee said. "No one is immune. It is scary when it's someone with police training. They're the very people we look to to provide our community for protection and to respond to domestic violence situations. So we're always very shocked and very distressed to learn that a member of any police department has been involved with any kind of domestic violence, particularly a homicide."

The Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence organizes silent marches to symbolize that "another voice has been silenced through needless family violence," Lee said.

"We're trying to bring the community's attention to the fact that another woman has died needlessly, and we want women to know that they can reach out and ask for help long before it becomes a homicide," Lee said. "And we want perpetrators to know that the community will not tolerate violence as a way of dealing with family problems."

Dunn is the director for victim witness kokua services for the prosecutor's office and got involved with the coalition when he was the domestic violence supervisor for the prosecutor's office.

"People from all sorts of professions have been involved in these acts," Dunn said. "Often, victims feel helpless or are too fearful to call. We're trying to get the public to be an active part in responding to domestic violence."

Karolyn Alford was a former employee of Kapalua Land Co.