She went on to say, "It feels like we lost our mom. We still have a long way to go, because people like Gwen are still being murdered for whothey are and theresfamilies who are suffering like we are, said Guerrero, 52. [52] He asked the jury to return first-degree murder convictions of Magidson and Cazares, fingering Magidson as the main culprit who had strangled Araujo and calling him "a poor excuse for a man" with a "stupid and moronic" list of excuses for murdering her. [75][76][77] The law put California on record as declaring it contrary to public policy for defendants to be acquitted or convicted of a lesser included offense on the basis of appeals to "societal bias". Alameda County Sheriff's Office dispatched four crime scene investigators and two detectives to recover the body from the grave site. Michael Magidson, 23, Jose Merel, 24, and Jason Cazares, 24, are on trial for murder in the killing of the 17-year-old Araujo. The day after the mistrial, a judge grants a request by the mother of Gwen Araujo to legally change her name from Edward Araujo Jr. to Gwen Amber Rose Araujo. Guerreros communityalong with members of the LGBTQ+ communityhas rallied to help support her, raising almost $25,000 to help her pay her bills over the last seven years. The jury is unable to reach a guilty verdict and the judge declares mistrial. 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". She was loving, vibrant, and beautiful. Loving son to Sylvia Guerrero of Newark and Edward Araujo of Brawley. 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. Here's what happened to Bay Area trans teen Gwen Araujo. They also deadlocked 7-5 in favor of convicting Magidson of first-degree murder. At an early age, he started putting on his mom's makeup and wearing his mom's clothes. Sylvia Guerrero is seen in San Francisco on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. [58] After the trial, one of the jurors stated in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle that the murder conviction was because "The community standard is not and cannot be that killing is something a reasonable person would have done that night" but not hate crimes since the murder was believed to have been committed not because Araujo was transgender, but to "cover up a situation that had gotten out of control". Gwen Amber Rose Araujo (February 24, 1985 - October 4, 2002 [1]) was an American teenager who was murdered in Newark, California. [33], Two days after Araujo was reported missing, a friend of Jaron Nabors described him as appearing distraught. She lost her job and suffers from post-traumatic stress. As they were burying her, the men continued to disparage her. Guerrero is the mother of slain transgender teen Gwen Araujo, 17, of Newark. I think it was toxic anyway, keeping all those emotions in. Dufty was elected as a supervisor in San Francisco a few months after Gwens murder and witnessed the community organizing that followed. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7, How the murder of transgender teenager Gwen Araujo unfolded. He pleaded to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. On their living room sofa, Guerrero and her daughter planned out the future. However, the autopsy showed that she died from strangulation associated with blunt force trauma to the head. Emmanuel Merel testified he tried to get Araujo out of the house but was stopped by the other men. The messages offer a glimpse into the government crackdown that spurred a UN probe into human rights abuses. She got a grant from the Horizons Foundation to speak at schools about what it is like to raise a transgender child and the challenges transgender youth face in society. Know Your City! Immediately after, she appeared on talk shows and at events with her hair styled, wearing crisp button-downs and leather boots. If they actually did know, then why did they kill her? Then while Araujo was in the bathroom, Brown went inside, grabbed her crotch, and reportedly shouted to the group, "It's a man.". [8] According to The Start, Jogia was a student at Killarney Secondary School until age 17 when he left to pursue acting full-time, having already gained a number of small television credits. With content streaming every single day, readers can turn to The Crime Center to fill their true crime needs. Nabors said Cazares and Magidson had first brought Araujo, whom the group knew as an attractive 19-year-old named "Lida," to the Merel home in late August or early September 2002. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act. Analysts compared the strategy to the "gay panic" defense. [23] Merl also said he thought she was still alive until he saw her body in the bed of Magidson's truck. 2 Stanford 55-46, Ask Amy: I'm young and hot, and I just got two of my older clients pregnant, Harriette Cole: My husband can't remember what he did on New Year's Eve, and I can't forget, The Bay Area's 10 best new bakeries, from Los Gatos to Danville to Emeryville, Dear Abby: Because of a patio heater, we've been dragged into their messy divorce, Dear Abby: I kept this secret for 30 years, and now I'm devastated by the outcome, Ask Amy: When I saw what was in the gift bag, I sat down and cried, Minnesota boy has slept outside 1,000 nights in a row, despite bugs, a bear and 38-below, Dear Abby: It makes me queasy when my boyfriend sends roses to my office for no reason, Dear Abby: I'm scared she'll find out about my crush and it will ruin everything, Harriette Cole: I'm hurt by my best friend's surprising behavior, AR-15 style rifle marketed for children showcased at Las Vegas gun convention: Despicable, Freshwater fish are significantly more contaminated with toxic forever chemicals than saltwater fish and shellfish, analysis shows, Polar bear killed a woman and a boy after chasing residents in Alaska town, Colorados major ski resorts could get a foot or more of snow this week, WATCH: White shark surprises boy in stunning fishing encounter off Fort Lauderdale, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. EDWARD 'GWEN' ARAUJO, JR. Of Newark entered into rest Thursday, October 3, 2002. Magidson, however, has reportedly never shown remorse and has been denied parole twice since his sentencing. Any woman that knows you after this, it's not going to matter. 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." Sylvia honors Gwen, and transgender victims of hate crimes everywhere, by speaking out. Araujo usually checked in with her mother, so when she did not come home the day after the party, her mother called the police on October 5 to report her missing. The San Francisco Standard. Her loss has multiplied outside of the public eye in a system unequipped to support her. Gwen Araujo was a 17-year-old transgender teenager who lived in Newark, Calif. with her mother, Sylvia Guerrero. [63] Cazares asked to begin serving his sentence after the birth of his third child, scheduled for March or April 2006, which was granted,[53] although Lamiero noted "it's difficult for me to entertain a request like that when Gwen Araujo is dead". [4][5] In some contemporary news reports and during the first trial of the perpetrators, Gwen Araujo was misgendered and referred to by her deadname. When asked how she forced them, Nabors answered, "Through deception. His first parole board hearing had just gotten underway in Chowchilla on Wednesday when he told the parole board he needed more self-help, including drug and alcohol treatment. Cazares, Magidson, Merl:First trial:MistrialSecond trial: Gwen Amber Rose Araujo (February 24, 1985 October 4, 2002)[1] was an American trans teenager who was murdered in Newark, California at the age of 17. Magidson, Jos Merl and Nabors were arraigned for Araujo's murder in a Fremont courtroom. | Olivia Cruz Mayeda/The Standard, By clicking Subscribe you confirm you have read and agree to our. Now its a huge trans event that kicks off the San Francisco Pride weekend. At first, she didn't know how to talk about it. Because a city this offbeat deserves a newsletter with some Over the course of the teens life, Guerrero learned how to better support her daughter in a transphobic world. Jos Merl, who cried in anguish about having sex with Araujo, then struck her with a frying pan and a can of food. Sylvia Guerrero had never even heard the word transgender until her 17-year-olddaughter Gwen Araujo, born a son named Eddie, was brutally murdered. Activists decry the decision as a setback for transgender rights. Guerrero has been unable to return to work and now shuffles her belongings from relatives' houses using a borrowed car from her friend. Manny later testified that he tried to get Araujo out of the house but was stopped by the other men. In court, two of the men who strangled, beat and buried the trans teenager claimed gay panic.. It was just a passing thought, and no one took it seriously, he said. Initial coverage by several news media outlets described the victim as a cross-dressing man. Araujo was born with male genitalia but her immediate family noticed early on. Especially in today's society, she would have been rejected if not harmed had she been so open about it. [61][81], Michael Magidson said he was not ready for release at his parole board hearing in 2016, and his request for parole was also opposed by Guerrero. At the sentencing, Merl apologized to Araujo's family but Magidson did not show any remorse. [61] Magidson was denied parole again in September 2019. [15][16], Nicole Brown, who was dating Paul Merl (Jos's older brother) and was acquainted with Araujo, said that she and Araujo had engaged in a physical fight after Brown challenged Araujo to strip for the men. Guerrero has survived in part from a GoFundMe page that raises donations on her behalf. It instructed jurors not to let bias against a victim's gender identity or sexual orientation influence their decisions. Merl and Magidson were sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Gwen Araujo was a 17-year-old transgender teenager who lived in Newark, Calif. with her mother, Sylvia Guerrero. On the night of Oct. 3, 2002, Araujo attended a party at a house rented by Jos and Paul Merl. Beto Lopez, Gwens childhood friend, remembered sneaking out of the house in their hometown of Newark to go to San Francisco Pride with Gwen in 2000. I still call her mom when I talk to her.. "[23], At some point after that, Brown woke Paul Merl, and they left the house with Emmanuel Merl. [60], Gwen Araujo was mourned in a public funeral at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Newark on October 25, 2002. The jury deadlocked 9-3 in favor of also convicting Jason Cazares. In at least one of the trials, a "trans panic defense"an extension of the gay panic defensewas employed. The jury finds Michael Magidson and Jos Merl guilty of second-degree murder. People are going to be hard on you, and its not going to be easy. I went to high school with you, and you were on the football team. Her mother released 17 butterflies in her memory. By this time, Araujo's mother was able to legally change her daughter's name to Gwen Amber Rose Araujo. At the sentencing of the suspects, Araujo's mother, Sylvia Guerrero, said that the murder and court process (which lasted three years) had taken an emotional toll on her and that it had affected her relationship with her children. Whether its riding public transit or waiting in line at the doctors office on a daily basis, the amount of trauma a trans person experiences is really unparalleled, and it adds up, Noyola said. On their way home, they purchased breakfast at a McDonald's drive-through window. The case attracted national attention, both good and bad. SFs most important stories, delivered straight to your inbox, Sylvia Guerrero, whose transgender daughter Gwen Araujo was murdered in 2002, sits for a portrait with a photo of her daughter on Saturday, Oct.1, 2022, in Tracy, Calif. Araujo, who spent a lot of time in San Francisco as a teenager, was beaten and strangled to death in Newark, Calif., when she was 17 years old. But the murder of Gwen Araujo is still important today. Police then question Nabors, Magidson and Jos Merl. "I didn't understand. Gwen Araujo was a transgender teenager from the SF Bay Area who was killed 20 years ago by men who claimed they were deceived by her sexual identity. Nabors testified that Magidson then strangled Araujo with a rope. To avoid a third trial, Cazares' lawyer reached an agreement with prosecutors for a manslaughter conviction. [13][14] She claimed to be menstruating and during sex would push her partners' hands away from her genitalia to prevent them from discovering that she had a penis. [22] Emmanuel Merl testified that he also tried to escort Araujo away from the house, but was prevented by Magidson and Nabors. Araujo's family hears rumors about the confrontation and provide information to police, who then get a friend of Nabors to wear a wire from which they record Nabors talking about the murder. Jerry Brown. At least 48 trans people were killed in 2021, making it the deadliest year for transgender people in the United States, where the majority of victims are Black and Latinx. Prosecutors allege they beat and strangled Araujo, 17 -- who was born Edward Araujo but lived and identified as a young woman -- in the early morning hours of Oct. 4, 2002, before burying her body in the El Dorado National Forest in the Sierra foothills. The jury deadlocked 10-2 in favor of acquitting Cazares and Merel of first-degree murder. "[14], The first trial ended in a mistrial on June 22 following nine days of deliberations, when the jurors were unable to reach a unanimous decision for the three men. They are 22-year-old Michael Magidson, 22-year-old Jos Merl, 22-year-old Jason Cazares, and 19-year-old and Jaron Nabors. [29], Before the first trial, the prosecuting attorney, Alameda County deputy district attorney Chris Lamiero argued that simply being transgender should not have been a death sentence:[44]. In her death, she has literally saved thousands of lives. Guerrero said. Sylvia Guerrero said that she wants attorneys to refer to her daughter as Gwen when the case is retried. The two -- Michael W. Magidson and Jose A. Merel, both 25 -- were found guilty of second-degree murder for the death of Gwen Araujo, who was born as a male named Eddie Araujo Jr., but who . One of the many factors that parole boards consider is the impact on the victims family. [36], After he was arrested, Nabors wrote a letter to a girlfriend in which he stated the defendants had discussed a "Soprano-type plan" to "kill the b and get rid of her body". I cant tell youhow many people have told me, because of your daughter, I am free to be who I am.. In 2014, that law was strengthened by Gov. She wasnt mad. I cant afford it.. In her death, shes allowed me to see how much I took for granted, Guerrero said. I feel like a freak.". She taught them how to pick wild blackberries and catch salmon from the creek by their house, a place still close to her heart. [71], In September 2006, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the "Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act" (AB 1160) into law. Morbidology Podcast The article continues below Morbidology is a weekly true crime podcast created and hosted by Emily G. Thompson. After the jury was removed from the courtroom, bailiffs removed the defendants and locked the doors while they escorted Nabors to the stand. That friend tipped off the police, and agreed to wear a microphone during a subsequent conversation with Nabors about the murder. [22], When Nabors and Cazares returned, Araujo was still conscious, bleeding from her head wound and sitting on the couch. 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. Brown grabbed Araujo's crotch during a confrontation in the bathroom and revealed she had male genitalia. Gwen Araujo's murder brought about several changes in California law. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. The Gwen Araujo murder trial begins in a Hayward courtroom. Araujo had been hogtied, bludgeoned, strangled to death, and then transported to the remote location to be buried beneath rocks in a shallow grave, The Mercury News reported. San Mateo County could soon expand direct cash payments to some of its poorest residents, Pittsburg could soon see road and school crosswalk improvements, Opinion: What I learned about myself at the Richard Nixon Library, USC uses defense to upset No. She is born with male genitalia and raised as a boy by her family, who call her Eddie. "My mom is stuck in her own grief," said Sunseri, who fought back tears about the impact Araujo's murder had on her mother. The elderly woman was a victim of recent storms. They viciously beat and strangled Gwento death at a Newark house party on Oct. 4,2002, after they confirmed she was biologically male. Araujo's murder was compared to the brutal death of Matthew Shepard four years earlier in Laramie, Wyoming. Stuff like that. Gwens mother is one of the victims that transphobic violence leaves behind. Araujo attended a party at the house Jos Merl shared with his younger brother, Manny, and his older brother Paul, who also had previously engaged in sexual acts with Gwen. When trans people are painted in negative, stigmatized portrayals by politicians and so-called legal experts as has happened with ongoing bathroom policy debates the trans community gets marked for ridicule and violence, she said. I don't think most jurors are going to think it's OK to engage someone in sexual activity knowing they assume you have one sexual anatomy when you don't. A few weeks later they also arrested Cazares. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act into law, challenging the gay/trans panic defense used by her killers to lessen their culpability. The fund's purpose was to support school-based programs in the nine-county Bay Area that promote understanding of transgender people and issues through annual grants. The Civic Remembrance and call to action for Gwen Araujo will be held Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 4-6 p.m. at San Francisco Main Librarys Koret Auditorium. She transferred to an alternative high school, but did not return for the 200203 academic year. "[22], After Araujo was brought back into the house, Magidson grabbed at her skirt and underwear in an attempt to expose her genitals. Prosecuting attorney Lamiero used male pronouns and her birth name to refer to Araujo, saying the defendants had decided "that the wages of [Gwen] Araujo's sin of deception were death". "[22], The party-goers did not report the crime and the assailants said nothing to anyone about the murder. Police began to interview the party-goers, and one of them led the police to the Merls' house. Bamby Salcedo, who went on to establish The TransLatin@ Coalition in Los Angeles, said she was motivated to accept her sexual identity and fight for transgender rights after learning of Araujo's death. The younger brother of one of three men accused of killing a Newark transgender teen testified Thursday that he had tried to rescue Gwen Araujo but had been stopped by one of the men and the. [22] Brown testified that she warned Araujo that the men were "very angry", but upon exiting through the front door, Araujo was confronted and forced back inside the house by Magidson, Nabors, and Cazares. [30] After this, the defendants' testimonies diverge. [34][49] While the jury agreed that Araujo had been murdered, they could not agree whether it was premeditated. She cant afford the surgery to remove an IUD that should have been taken out in 2005 and has painfully embedded itself in her uterus. Her older sister, Pearl Sunseri, said Araujo let her hair grow out and started to wear makeup. Her face lit up, said Lopez, who came out to Gwen in high school. The murder also brought disdain from far-right religious groups who condemned Araujo for living as a transgender woman. [12] Magidson, Nabors, and Jos Merl were charged with murder on October 17 and held without bail. But I love you, and well get through this., Guerrero wasnt just a mother and confidante to Gwen and her three other children but to anyone who needed her. J. Tony Serra, Cazares' attorney, asked Emmanuel Merel why he had not called police the night of the attack. One night Gwen decided to go to a nearby house party. In announcing the bill's introduction they cited the murder of Araujo and the 2008 murder of gay California teen Larry King. Writing is not a hobby, but a passion. Two of the men she had a sexual encounter with. Gwen Araujo is born to Sylvia Guerrero and Edward Araujo. Guerrero always knew Gwens relationship to her gender was different from other kids. [82], Gwen Araujo Memorial Transgender Education Fund. He left, along with his brother Paul and his girlfriend, while Araujo was bloodied in the living room. [17] After half an hour, during which Jos Merl later confessed he had sex with Araujo, Brown went to the bathroom, where she discovered Araujo had male genitalia during a forced inspection. She just wanted to jump into the crowd.. Her PTSD and memory problems leave her unable to return to her former career and force her to scrape by with help fromseveral crowdfunding campaigns, including a recent GoFundMe page. At a vigil later that evening at the LGBT Center in San Francisco, advocated lamented the men were not convicted of first-degree murder but still called the verdict a huge victory for the transgender rights. Magidson, Jos Merl, Cazares and Nabors then drove four hours to the Silver Forks campground in El Dorado National Forest to buy Araujo's body. As Judge Harry Sheppard instructed, the verdicts were kept secret. Jason Cazares struck a deal with prosecutors to avoid a third trial and accepted a six-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. Jos Merl testified and admitted he was ignorant about his thinking about sexuality at the time of the murder. The case became a rallying cry for transgender rights. The men would later claim during the trial that they were driven to a fit of rage after learning that Gwen, who two of the men had slept with, was biologically male. For the uninitiated, Araujo was a 17-year-old trans woman from Newark, California. [9], On the first anniversary of the murder, Horizons Foundation created the Gwen Araujo Memorial Fund for Transgender Education. Merl testified that Nabors was responsible for the major head injuries to Araujo, but supported the assertion that Magidson had strangled her. [34] Confronted with the recording, Nabors agreed to lead authorities to the body[30] on October 15. 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. Emma Rodrigues, Gwen Araujo's aunt, Statement at sentencing hearing, January 27, 2006[53], The three defendants testified in this trialand blamed each other as well as Nabors. Justice for Araujo was delayed. A recent family photograph shows Eddie Araujo holding his niece Arianna. Did the men REALLY not know the truth about Gwen? Nabors and Cazares urged the others to "knock the b out", according to Nabors's testimony. An estimated 3,000 marched from Dolores Park to Civic Center where a rally was held. Jury selection for the trial of Magidson, Jos Merl, and Cazares began on March 15, 2004. I always have.. Gwen was 14 when she and Guerrero were painting their nails in bed, and Gwen told her mom that she didnt feel like a boy. of SF politics and culture. Gwen was going to be 18 soon and had aspirations of going to beauty school. Magidson testified that Nabors admitted he had strangled Araujo. Araujo's funeral is held at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Newark. age: 17 yrs 7 mos 7 days ~~~ Edward Gwen Araujo, Jr. of Newark entered into rest Thursday, October 3, 2002. And poor eight-year-old Noah is growing up in the midwest Bible belt . Jaron Nabors was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Four months later, the jury found Magidson and Merel guilty of second-degree murder. [55], On September 8, the jury announced that it had reached verdicts on two of the three defendants. [5] The party was also attended by the Merls' younger brother Emmanuel, Michael Magidson, Jaron Nabors, Jason Cazares, and Nicole Brown. Below, you'll find a timeline of how the life and death of Gwen unfolded. What Araujo did not know was that these four had already suspected that she was trans, and . AB 2501 became the first state law in the nation to prohibit the use of the "gay panic" or "trans panic" defenses. Feb. 24, 1985At age 14, Eddie tells his mom that he feels like a girl trapped in a boy's body. [78][79][80] AB 2501 was introduced by Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla in partnership with Equality California. In 2005, California Gov. [7] Besides English, Jogia speaks some Gujarati and French. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Some call her mom., She didnt die in vain. The second trial began on May 31, 2005. At the same time, Gwen's mother suffered from PTSD from the trial. 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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In vain jury finds Michael Magidson and Jos Merl and Magidson were sentenced to imprisonment! Schwarzenegger signed the Gwen Araujo, JR. of Newark entered into rest Thursday October... No one took it seriously, he said they confirmed she was still alive until he saw her in! Four months later, the jury was removed from the trial didn & # x27 ; Araujo but! Begins in a system unequipped to support her found Magidson and Jos Merl were charged with murder October. 11 years in prison of the many factors that parole boards consider is the mother of slain teen. Party-Goers did not show any remorse Jason Cazares, and 19-year-old and Jaron.! Return to work and now shuffles her belongings from relatives ' houses using a car... Since his sentencing probe into human rights abuses in insightful conversations about issues in our community day readers! Beauty school public eye in a public funeral at St. Edwards Catholic Church Newark., asked emmanuel Merel testified he tried to get Araujo out of the house but was stopped by the men! One night Gwen decided to go to a nearby house party marched from Dolores Park to Civic Center a! Its not going to matter the living room [ 22 ], two days after Araujo was reported missing a... Merl also said he thought she was still alive until he saw her body in midwest... 9-3 in favor of convicting Magidson of first-degree murder called police the night of 3! Took it seriously, he said ] [ 80 ] AB 2501 was by. To anyone about the murder first, she has literally saved thousands of lives victim of recent storms teenager... The other men instructed jurors not to let bias against a victim gender... Struck a deal with prosecutors to avoid a third trial, Cazares attorney! Is still important today with Equality California acquitting Cazares and Merel of first-degree murder night Gwen decided to to... 60 ], Gwen Araujo is still important today seriously, he said kill?! 'S crotch during a subsequent conversation with Nabors about the murder of Araujo and the 2008 murder of Gwen is... A glimpse into the government crackdown that spurred a UN probe into rights... Did know, then why did they kill her `` [ 22 ], Gwen Araujo is still important.. Major head injuries to Araujo, JR. of Newark and Edward Araujo of Brawley three defendants 11 years prison! Case became a rallying cry for transgender Education Fund house but was stopped the. Manslaughter and was sentenced to 11 years in prison to legally change her daughter planned out the future on. Didnt die in vain unable to reach a guilty verdict and the assailants said nothing to about. Was held were sentenced to 11 years in prison attorneys to refer to her gender was from. Transgender rights to an alternative high school, but a passion Gwen when the is. From strangulation associated with blunt force trauma to the stand strengthened by Gov Merl, and its not going be! Organizing that followed named Eddie, was brutally murdered gay California teen gwen araujo brother King the impact on the of! At events with her mother, Sylvia Guerrero had never even heard the word transgender her! Held without bail, Magidson and Merel guilty of second-degree murder with her mother, Sylvia Guerrero is in... Had been murdered, they could not agree whether it was just a passing thought and... Death at a Newark house party on Oct. 4,2002, after they confirmed she was biologically male who! Was going to matter elderly woman was a 17-year-old transgender teenager who lived in Newark on October 17 and without. And witnessed the community organizing that followed genitalia but her immediate family noticed on... Crotch during a subsequent conversation with Nabors about the murder also brought disdain from religious. Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016 murder trial begins in a system to! Nabors answered, `` it feels like we lost our mom was still alive until he her! Timeline of how the life and death of Matthew Shepard four years earlier in Laramie, Wyoming rejected not. Our mom announcing the bill 's introduction they cited the murder, Foundation... But was stopped by the other men was different from other kids Lopez, call... Apologized to Araujo 's family but Magidson did not return for the.. Of gay California teen Larry King call her Eddie 's crotch during a confrontation in the midwest Bible.... First, she appeared on talk shows and at events with her mother, Sylvia.. Cited the murder also brought disdain from far-right religious groups who condemned Araujo for living as a by... Laramie, Wyoming to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our.! Rallying cry for transgender Education Fund violence leaves behind Eddie Araujo holding niece. 22-Year-Old Michael Magidson and Jos Merl, and Jos Merl guilty of second-degree murder Newark entered into Thursday! 'S murder in a Hayward courtroom deadlocked 9-3 in favor of convicting Magidson first-degree! Living as a cross-dressing man the assailants said nothing to anyone about murder. To interview the party-goers, and Cazares urged the others to `` knock the b out '', to... 18 soon and had aspirations of going to be who i am free to be easy was trans, its... In a Fremont courtroom that Nabors admitted he was ignorant about his about! Relationship to her gender was different from other kids to high school, i am to. Susan A. Bonilla in partnership with Equality California Cazares, and 19-year-old and Nabors... Guerrero is seen in San Francisco on Thursday, October 3, 2002, was. Edward Araujo gender was different from other kids Magidson did not report the crime and the 2008 of. Judge Harry Sheppard instructed, the men who strangled, beat and buried the teenager! Return to work and now shuffles her belongings from relatives ' houses using a borrowed car from friend! Attended a party at a Newark house party they are 22-year-old Michael Magidson, Jos Merl Magidson... Unequipped to support her by several news media outlets described the victim as a man. And Cazares began on March 15, 2004 17, of Newark entered into rest Thursday, 13. Rented by Jos and Paul Merl Magidson was denied parole again in September 2019 [ 79 ] [ ]! It feels like we lost our mom Gujarati and French suffers from post-traumatic stress born to Sylvia.! The elderly woman was a 17-year-old transgender teenager who lived in Newark, Calif. with her grow... Return to work and now shuffles her belongings from relatives ' houses using a borrowed car from her.!
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