This is where I sleep now, she said, pointing to the bare floor of her sons living room. The case became a rallying cry for transgender rights. Sylvia Guerrero had never heard the word transgender until four men murdered her daughter. On their way home, they purchased breakfast at a McDonald's drive-through window. But, at the time, she didn't comprehend the change Araujo was going through. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. On the evening of October 3rd, she attended a house party with a number of other people, including Jaron Nabors, Michael Madison, Paul Merel, and his brother Jose Merel. He also said that he and Jose Merel had been alone in a bedroom with Araujo, where they engaged in some flirtatious petting. Magidson, however, has reportedly never shown remorse and has been denied parole twice since his sentencing. Only charge for Nabors. Guerrero has been unable to return to work and now shuffles her belongings from relatives' houses using a borrowed car from her friend. Then while Araujo was in the bathroom, Brown went inside, grabbed her crotch, and reportedly shouted to the group, "It's a man.". And Im still learning.. On Tuesday, trans rights advocates and Gwens loved ones will gather at San Franciscos Main Library to honor her legacy on the anniversary of her murder. The murder also brought disdain from far-right religious groups who condemned Araujo for living as a transgender woman. When Gwen was murdered that night, it was the beginning of a life sentence for me and my family, Guerrero said. She and Guerrero shared a deep love for the city for that reason, and in the year leading up to her murder, Gwen came to the city almost every weekend. Her mother released 17 butterflies in her memory. In court, two of the men who strangled, beat and buried the trans teenager claimed gay panic.. Araujo was born with male genitalia but her immediate family noticed early on. Araujo was born with male genitalia but her immediate family noticed early on that she identified more easily with being a girl than a boy. Eddie then began transitioning as a woman and called herself Gwen, after her favorite singer Gwen Stefani.According to court testimony, Araujo, whom the men knew . [30] Magidson hit her head against the living room wall with his knee, rendering her unconscious. She lives in this prison in her own mind.". Loving son to Sylvia Guerrero of Newark and Edward Araujo of Brawley. In at least one of the trials, a "trans panic defense"an extension of the gay panic defensewas employed. Araujo surprised her with a strong blow during the fight, and Brown said the men "were tripping, because she was smaller than me and just as strong. Sylvia Guerrero spoke at the first Trans March held on the Friday before the Pride Parade in San Francisco. The other two defendants pleaded guilty or no-contest to voluntary manslaughter. At the same time, Gwen's mother suffered from PTSD from the trial. [5] The party was also attended by the Merls' younger brother Emmanuel, Michael Magidson, Jaron Nabors, Jason Cazares, and Nicole Brown. After she left, Nabors asked the other three "Could this be a dude?" [12], Jos Merl vomited upon learning Araujo was anatomically male, then began to cry in disbelief,[23] saying "I can't be f gay. [45] In his opening statement, the defense attorney for Magidson argued that he should not be charged with murder, rather manslaughter at worst, under California law. [23] It is not clear at what point during this sequence of events she died. I never heard of the word transgender until she died.". Today shes an admired activist for transgender causes, even though the horror of Gwens fate has upended her life. ". When youre in a big family, youre either going to want a bunch of kids or youre not going to want any, she said. Guerrero looked after her 10 younger siblings while her parents worked, getting them ready for school and packing their lunches. Michael Magidson and Jos Merl were sentenced to 15 years to life for killing Gwen Araujo. [8], Araujo first met Michael Magidson, Jos Merl, Jaron Nabors, and Jason Cazares in late August or early September 2002. [35] On October 24, Nabors pleaded not guilty, Magidson was still looking for an attorney, and Jos Merl was still reviewing the evidence against him. Memorial for Gwen Araujo Gwen Araujo was mourned in a public funeral at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Newark on October 25, 2002. By early morning on Oct. 4, the men questioned Araujo and demanded to know if she is biologically male. [8] She began to grow her hair long and planned to undergo hormone treatment and surgery. The 17-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area was punched, beaten and eventually strangled to death when several men discovered she was a transgender woman. [78][79][80] AB 2501 was introduced by Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla in partnership with Equality California. Magidson, Jos Merl and Nabors were arraigned for Araujo's murder in a Fremont courtroom. Gwen Amber Rose Araujo (February 24, 1985 - October 4, 2002 [1]) was an American teenager who was murdered in Newark, California. A year after Araujo's death, her mother accepts an award from the Horizons Foundation to speak at local schools and promote a better understanding of transgender people. Nabors testified that Magidson strangled her with a rope and that Cazares struck her with a shovel,[11] but Nabors was returning from the garage and did not actually witness the act of strangulation. She lost her job and suffers from post-traumatic stress. [34], One of the jurors wrote a newspaper article after the mistrial; in it, he credited Cazares's defense attorney, Tony Serra, with introducing enough reasonable doubt about the veracity of the prosecution's witnesses, including both Brown (who had admitted to consuming more than a dozen beers that night) and Nabors (who was characterized as a liar and "chameleon", prone to exaggeration and eager to please in every social situation). [58], Lamiero had undermined criminal intent by commenting, "Gwen being transgender was not a provocative act. [8] Police did not initially take the missing persons case seriously partly because she was transgender,[9] and she was known to stay away from home overnight. [34][49] While the jury agreed that Araujo had been murdered, they could not agree whether it was premeditated. [8], Paul Merl was released after Brown and Emmanuel Merl told the police that he had left the scene with them. Araujo was killed at a house party 14 years ago . Jos Merl, who cried in anguish about having sex with Araujo, then struck her with a frying pan and a can of food. [2] She was murdered by four men, two of whom she had been sexually intimate with, who beat and strangled her after discovering that she was transgender. For more than a decade after Gwens death, she spoke at events about her daughters murder and the struggle for trans rights at events, before taking a break of several years. This is the life and death story of 17-year-old Gwen Araujo. [62] Attorney Gloria Allred represented Araujo's family. During Magidson's testimony, a tape of his initial interview with the police was shown, in which an investigator was recorded coaching him to use the trans panic defense: "You'd be surprised. Jury selection for the trial of Magidson, Jos Merl, and Cazares began on March 15, 2004. I think it was toxic anyway, keeping all those emotions in. At age 14, Eddie tells his mom that he feels like a girl trapped in a boy's body. In 2010, then-Gov. The four accused of the murder were: Michael Magidson, 22; Jaron Nabors, 19; Jos Merl, 22; and Paul Merl, Jose's older brother. Guerrero always knew Gwens relationship to her gender was different from other kids. Nabors described how Araujo had locked lips with all four of the men that night to blow marijuana smoke into their mouths in what he described as a "power hit." Jason Cazares struck a deal with prosecutors to avoid a third trial and accepted a six-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. Sylvia Guerrero said that she wants attorneys to refer to her daughter as Gwen when the case is retried. Gwen Araujo murder 14 years later: Transgender, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), ACE train service cancelled after more mudslides at Niles Canyon, Gwen Araujo murder 14 years later: Transgender teens killers face parole. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. On their living room sofa, Guerrero and her daughter planned out the future. Nabors testified that he stated he "couldn't believe that someone would ever do that, would be that deceitful" and that Jos Merl added "he was so mad he could still kick her a couple more times". Ive always loved San Francisco, Guerrero said. She transferred to an alternative high school, but did not return for the 200203 academic year. "My mom is stuck in her own grief," said Sunseri, who fought back tears about the impact Araujo's murder had on her mother. History of transgender people in the United States, History of violence against LGBT people in the United States, List of people killed for being transgender, "Two Guilty of Murder in Death of a Transgender Teenager", "Trying to Understand Eddie's Life and Death", "Slain Newark teen balanced between two worlds", "Case of slain transgender teen could go to a jury this week", "HAYWARD / Suspect's brother says he tried to aid Araujo / He testifies others blocked him from rescuing victim", "HAYWARD / Defense calls transgender victim guilty of 'deception and betrayal', "HAYWARD / Defense grills star witness in teen murder trial / 'You're lying,' lawyer says to man who pleaded guilty", "Guilty plea in transgender killing / Defendant makes deal, testifies against friends", "3 Are Charged In Death of Man Who Dressed Like a Woman", "One year since transgender teen's death / Gwen Araujo's family still struggling to cope", "HAYWARD / Witness tells of friends' anger at being duped / He says 2 were mad their sex partner was biologically male", "Witness tells how she learned transgender teen was male", "Slain teen's last night recounted / Witness testifies on events leading to killing of transgender youth", "HAYWARD / Transgender teen did nothing 'to deserve death' / But 1 accused killer said he vomited on finding she was male", "Man Testifies on His Role in Teen's Death", "Witness details slaying of transgender teenager", "Three sentenced to prison in Araujo slaying", "Attack Witnesses Unlikely to Face Criminal Charges", "11 years for defendant in Araujo killing", "Chilling time line of a killing / Death of transgender teen described in grisly detail", "Defendant says prosecution witness admitted killing Araujo", "3 Charged in Beating Death of Boy, 17, Who Lived as a Girl", "Man Pleads Not Guilty in Slaying of Transgender Bay Area Teenager", "Fourth Arrest Made in Transgender Killing", "Fourth Person Sought in Slaying Inquiry Is Found", "Accused: Araujo bargained for escape Preliminary hearing in death of transgender teen to end today (subscription needed)", "Defense attorney: Witness struck Gwen's fatal blow (subscription required)", "Slaying Victim's Mother Now Speaks Out Against Hate Crime", "Witness Unable to Testify About Transgender Teen's Slaying", "Accused killer was 'disgusted' that transgender teen was male", "NEWARK / Teen's death a crime of passion, defense says", "Final defendant testifies in Araujo murder trial", "Newark Transgender Teen Murder Verdicts Upheld", "2 Convicted of Murdering Transgender Teen", "HAYWARD / Manslaughter ruled out, Araujo juror says / 'Events devolved into brutal beating and homicide', "HAYWARD / Araujo case draws to close / Last defendant pleads no contest to avoid third trial", "Gwen Araujo murder 14 years later: Transgender teen's killers face parole", "Cazares plea brings Araujo trial to close", "Man Given 11 Years in Gwen Araujo's Death", "Mourners Overflow Funeral of Teen Allegedly Slain Over Sexual Identity", "Longtime trans activist says goodbye to TransVision", "SAN FRANCISCO / Transgender community feels joy, anger at Araujo verdict", "Fests go in for a piece of the action: Cinequest to distribute 'Ways of Men', "Ten years later, Araujo's murder resonates", "An act to amend Section 192 of the Penal Code, relating to manslaughter", "California Bans Gay and Trans Panic Defense", "Assemblymember Bonilla and Equality California Introduce Bill to Ban "Panic Defense" Strategy as a Courtroom Tactic by Murder Defendants", "Online Extra: Parole denied for killer of Bay Area transgender teen", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Gwen_Araujo&oldid=1133311118, American victims of anti-LGBT hate crimes, Deaths by strangulation in the United States, Articles with dead external links from September 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. 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