Angie Zapata of Greeley, Colorado was beaten to death last week in a crime her family and friends suspect had something to do with the fact that she was transgender.
Fort Collins Now reports: “Police did not say whether Zapata's gender identity played a part in the homicide. Zapata's sister, Monica, was quoted in a press release from the Colorado Anti-Violence Program. ‘We want to get the whole community involved to find this person who hurt my sister and to let everyone be aware that all she wanted was to be beautiful. We want this violence to end. Transgender people deserve to be treated with respect.' Zapata's gender identity has caused problems for her in the past, according to Kelly Costello, director of Victim Services for the Colorado Anti-Violence Program. ‘But her family had been very supportive of her and were angry she had been called a man in past (news) stories.' Zapata's family was unavailable to confirm Costello's statement. In a press release quoted Tuesday on the TransGriot Web site, Kelly asked readers to contact The Tribune to complain about Zapata first being reported as a man. The newspaper has received about a dozen email complaints. The Greeley police and the Weld County Coroner's Office identify Zapata as a man. Her obituary, however, shows the family accepted her as a woman.”
According to FCN, “Zapata's body was found July 17 in the apartment, according to the warrant. After family members were unable to reach her by telephone, her sister went to the house and got a key from the landlord. She found Zapata lying on the living room floor, covered by a blanket. She was already dead.”
