Manatee Clerk honors the legacy of two former Clerk employees lost to domestic violence

Bradenton, Fla. (October 2, 2025) – In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Manatee Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller dedicated two spaces within its Violence Protection Division in honor of two former Clerk & Comptroller team members, Erin Craft and Jazmin Catano, who tragically lost their lives to domestic violence.

A dedication ceremony took place on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, from 9-10 a.m. in The Honorable R.B. “Chips” Shore Historical Courtroom, located inside the Historic Courthouse at 1115 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, FL 34205.

Speakers included Clerk Angel Colonneso, Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells, State Attorney for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Ed Brodsky, Tiffany Tompkins, and Sebastian Carvalho.

Family members, friends, and former colleagues of Craft and Catano attended the event alongside community partners and government officials.

During Clerk Colonneso’s remarks, she shared that the purpose of the event was to honor and remember two beautiful souls who were part of the Clerk family and whose lives were taken far too soon.

“We felt a deep need to honor their lives in a way that lasts,” said Angel Colonneso, Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller for Manatee County. “It is our hope that through these dedications, individuals impacted by domestic violence will feel seen, heard, and supported. If the legacy of Erin and Jazmin can save even one life, then this effort is worth it.”

In an emotional message to the audience, Tompkins, Craft’s mother, shared her appreciation for the Clerk’s decision to honor her daughter’s memory and the support her family received from Craft’s former colleagues and the community after her life was brutally taken away.

“I am sure that Erin is smiling from Heaven right now,” Tompkins said before closing with a heartfelt thank you to everyone for loving her daughter as much as she and her family did.

Carvalho, Catano’s son, spoke about how hard his mother worked. Although she had a full-time job and attended college at night, every single day she would talk with him and his siblings and take him to soccer—even on a Saturday at 6 a.m. in 30-degree weather. She only wanted the best for everyone. Carvalho was just 12 years old when his mother was killed. At the end of his remarks, with a pause and a large smile, he said, “This is for sure one of the best days of my life.”

Sheriff Wells reminded the audience that it takes all of us to know the signs of abuse and that we must all pay attention, and that while October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, every day should be about awareness.

As State Attorney Brodsky stated, each year 1.3 million women and more than 800,000 men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner.

About the newly named Erin Craft Center

The Erin Craft Center houses the Violence Protection Division of the Manatee Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller and provides information to parties seeking injunctions for protection, commonly referred to as restraining orders, while supporting the entire injunction process. The division connects those seeking protection with additional community resources and other court divisions as needed. Additionally, the Violence Protection Division provides free Hope Cards to individuals with active injunctions. Hope Cards contain injunction information in a convenient wallet-sized document that can be carried and shown to law enforcement when needed.

About Jazmin’s Nook

Jazmin’s Nook is a private, quiet space located on the first floor near the Violence Protection Division where individuals can complete injunction packets or simply take a moment during a difficult time. The Nook also features an Early Learning Coalition Book Nook, offering free books to children ages 0-12—providing a comforting resource for families navigating the injunction process.

More About Erin and Jazmin

Craft dedicated over a decade to serving the community as a Court Services team member from 2006-2017. After relocating to Alabama, the 36-year-old mother’s life was tragically taken by domestic violence in January 2022.

Although only with the Clerk & Comptroller’s office for six months, Catano brought enthusiasm and dedication to her role in the Criminal Division of the Courts Department. The promising 30-year-old team member’s life was cut short by domestic violence in 2013.

Domestic Violence Continues to be a Concern in Manatee County

In 2024, the Clerk's Violence Protection Division processed 1,003 total injunctions, commonly referred to as restraining orders, for domestic violence, dating violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, and stalking—a 3.8% increase from the previous year.

Domestic violence impacts everyone. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but domestic abuse occurs every day of every year.

To learn how to recognize the signs of domestic violence, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline for more information. If you or a loved one needs help leaving an abusive relationship, visit the Clerk & Comptroller's Violence Protection Division page for a list of local resources, including HOPE Family Services.

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