Thursday, July 31, 2008

TRANSGENDERED WOMAN MURDERED. Another example of the kind of fear that lives in most men, I think. Well, straight men, anyway. This fellow committed murder not because this woman was obviously "in process", but likely, he enjoyed the sex, and therefore suddenly felt threatened by her.
I also dislike the phrasing here when referring to the victim, saying she "was known as Angie Zapata". She lived as a woman, and was in transition. It's not an "illusion", or an alias. SHE'S not the criminal here!
Please send your meditations and prayers out to Angie's family. They'll need them.
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Colorado man charged in transgender slaying
By P. SOLOMON BANDA, Associated Press Writer
A Colorado man is accused of fatally battering a sex partner with a fire extinguisher after discovering that his companion was a transgender woman.
Allen Ray Andrade, 31, faces several charges, including second-degree murder in the death of Justin Zapata, 20, who was known as Angie Zapata. The victim's bloodied, battered body was discovered in her apartment by her sister on July 17.
Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck said Wednesday that he is considering filing first-degree murder charges and may prosecute the death as a hate crime.
Andrade was arrested in the Denver suburb of Thornton, where he lives. Police responding to a noise complaint found him in Zapata's 2003 PT Cruiser, which had been missing.
Andrade told investigators that he met Zapata through MocoSpace, a social network designed primarily for cell phone users, according to an arrest affidavit released by Greeley police. The two met July 15 and spent the day together.
Andrade told investigators that Zapata performed oral sex on him but wouldn't let him touch her, according to the affidavit.
He said he also spent the night at Zapata's apartment, but in separate beds. The next day, Zapata left Andrade alone in her apartment, and Andrade noticed several photographs that led him to question Zapata's gender.
Andrade confronted Zapata when she got back. He grabbed Zapata's crotch area, felt male genitalia and became angry, the affidavit says. He told investigators that he took a fire extinguisher off a shelf, struck Zapata twice in the head and thought he "killed it."
"It's disgusting," Greeley Police Chief Jerry Garner said of Andrade's reference to Zapata. "It's a horrible thing to say."
Andrade told investigators he covered Zapata with a blanket and started gathering evidence he thought might link him to the crime when he heard gurgling sounds and noticed Zapata was sitting up. That's when he picked up the fire extinguisher and hit her again, police said. He left the scene in her car.
Zapata's sister, Monica Murguia, couldn't be reached for comment on Andrade's arrest. She told Denver's KDVR-TV that Andrade deserved to remain behind bars forever.
"He took a part of our heart, he did, when he killed her," she said after reading the arrest affidavit.
A guard at the jail said information about whether Andrade had an attorney was not available. There was no telephone listing for him in Thornton.
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Whatever else happens in the world, I'm too upset to post about it today.

On a positive note, make plans now to come to Midtown's "Outwrite Books" on Tuesday night, August 5th to see C. Cleo Creech, Yolo Akili, and yours truly in a HOT QUEER POETRY NIGHT hosted by fabulous Franklin Abbott. Click on the link, to the right of this column, for more info!
Peace, kids.

2 comments:

Expat No. 3699 said...

That was quite disturbing; and to refer to her as 'it'.

Yes, I can see that would be enough to post about for the day. I'm sure I'll be thinking about this periodically throughout my day.

Lisa Nanette Allender said...

I know,it's just unspeakable/unthinkable/incomprehensible, what humans can do to each other...I'm praying for the family of this transgendered woman, but I suppose I'll also pray for this horrible murderer, too; he will need much healing in his heart and life...