News Item

FOURTH MAN ARRESTED IN ARAUJO MURDER, MORE ARRESTS POSSIBLE

November 18, 2002

Police in Newark, California have taken a fourth suspect into custody in the slaying of Gwen Araujo, a 17-year-old transgendered woman. Local authoritieshave also hinted that other arrests may be made in connection with the murder.

"The trail seems to be hot," said Newark Police Lt. Tom Milner, "and we're continuing forward.

Jason Cazares, 22, was arrested Saturday, November 16, in this bedroom community in the San Francisco Bay area in connection with the murder. Hisarraignment is scheduled for today. Cazares was initially suspected to have participated in the murder, but claimed he had left the party before the incidenttook place. With insufficient evidence, police were unable to press charges until this weekend.

"The Newark Police have done a outstanding job of investigating [the murder,]" stated Vanessa Edwards Foster, chair of the National Transgender AdvocacyCoalition (NTAC). "More often than not, murders committed against transgenders are left unsolved, and in cases where there are known suspects or arrests,the diligence [by authorities] is not there and justice is not sufficiently served. The general feeling is that transgenders aren't worth the effort."

The arrest comes immediately before the transgenders and supporters around the world observe the Transgender Day of Remembrance. This year'sobservance on November 20 is the largest ever, with over seventy locations participating from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Chile, Argentina, Spain, Italy and France. Notably, this year's list of transgendered victims is also larger than in years past, with 27 victims being memorialized.

"The timing of this case, and the arrest of the suspects reminds us that murders like this happen all the time," said Gwen Smith, founder of the website "Remembering Our Dead" which spawned the Transgender Day of Remembrance. "I would hope that we can highlight the issue, and prevent there from being any more such deaths in the world."

Cazares joins Jaron Nabors, 19, Jose Antonio Merel and Michael William Magidson, both 22. Nabors has entered an innocent plea. Merel and Magidson enter their pleas on December 13.

It was one of these suspects, Nabors, who led police to a shallow grave more than 150 miles from the crime scene. At the gravesite, police found the body of Gwen Araujo, bound at the wrists and ankles and wrapped in a sheet.

According to affidavits collected by police, Araujo was slashed with a knife and beaten by suspects at a house party in Newark, after a third party discovered the victim was anatomically a male. She was then dragged into a garage and strangled with a rope.

"This case is unique," said Foster. "Gwen's family was supportive and adamant about seeing this pursued. In addition, the Newark P.D. has also been remarkably diligent in their investigation. This murder has not been given the short shrift, and the credit goes to the Guerreros - Gwen's family - for their open concern and support, and especially the Newark Police for following through and making every effort to tie up all loose ends.

"I'm very touched by the way this case has been treated," Foster added. "Finally, albeit in death, Gwen Araujo is treated as a human."