The murder of a south Minneapolis man sheds light on a critical shortcoming in Minnesota’s programs to prevent domestic violence, advocates said Tuesday. It’s the first murder of its kind in more than two years.

Michael Reich, 40, died of strangulation at the hand of his domestic partner, Harold Meeks, 38. Police had been called to the couple’s 38th Street apartment twice in the 10 days preceding the murder. He was found dead in the couple’s apartment Monday.

“Violence within same-sex relationships happens at the same rate as violence within opposite-sex relationships,” said Waggoner Kloek, manager of OutFront Minnesota Anti-Violence Program. “This horrible tragedy confirms that in some cases, domestic violence will escalate to murder. This is as much of a risk for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community as in the broader community.”

The questions raised by this case: Where do you refer a man who is the victim of domestic violence? Do current programs and law enforcement have the capacity to effectively work with same-sex domestic violence?

“This murder confirms the need for a high degree of responsiveness by our law enforcement, health care and social service providers,” said Kloek. “Fortunately these agencies have become increasingly more responsive to crimes committed against our community, for example, as reflected in a May 2008 report about hate and bias crimes.”

But while Minnesota domestic violence services have been increasing capacity for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender survivors of domestic violence, huge budget cuts to such programs have advocates concerned about services for all survivors of domestic violence.

On Wednesday, City Pages’ Jeff Severns Guntzel reported on significant budget cuts enacted by the legislature that will hit Hennepin County’s Domestic Abuse Service Center, cutting three of seven full-time staffers. The staff reduction comes from a $2.25 million cut to the state’s court systems that already threatens the state’s public defender system. Gov. Tim Pawlenty wanted to gut $7 million.

"We understand cuts have to be made," Carol Arthur, executive director of the Domestic Abuse Project, told City Pages, "but victim safety has got to be primary. A victim who has to go back to their abuser is very likely to be abused again. A domestic assault victim is much more likely to be targeted again than a robbery victim or the victim of any other crime. If you intervene, you know you’re going to make a difference."

And sometimes when a victim goes back to their abuser, it could escalate to murder, as in the case of Reich and Meeks.

A vigil will be held on Thursday evening to remember this victim and all victims of domestic violence and stand in support of safety.

Community Vigil

6 p.m. Thursday

2814 S. 38th St.

Minneapolis