People are going to be hard on you, and its not going to be easy. The 17-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area was beaten, punched and eventually choked to death when several men discovered she was a transgender woman. Still, there have been nearly 25slayings of transgender people in the United States so far in 2016 alone, according to Noyola, including the killing of Brandi Bledsoe in Cleveland last week. NEWARK, Calif. (KGO) -- She was killed 20 years ago. He pleaded to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. She just wanted to jump into the crowd.. Loves to Read. Ciara-Kiona Purvis September 11, 2022 Interpersonal Communication A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo story is based on a true story. [10], The first trial began on April 14, 2004. When Gwen was murdered that night, it was the beginning of a life sentence for me and my family, Guerrero said. [25] Jos Merl became concerned that Araujo was bleeding on the couch and ordered her off it. Her older sister, Pearl Sunseri, said Araujo let her hair grow out and started to wear makeup. While Merl expressed deep sorrow and regret to Araujo's family, Magidson was angry about his verdict and expressed "no remorse" for his role in murdering Araujo, according to presiding Judge Harry Sheppard. [7] Besides English, Jogia speaks some Gujarati and French. Sylvia is the mother of Gwen Araujo. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. [8] She began to grow her hair long and planned to undergo hormone treatment and surgery. NEWARK19E-C-18OCT02-MT-HO Her father was a mushroom farmer for the Campbell Soup Company in Pescadero, where she was raised. [70], Sylvia Guerrero, Araujo's mother, worked as a legal assistant at a San Jose law firm, but as of 2016 was homeless due to PTSD from the incident. Days before the 20-year anniversary of her daughters murder, Guerrero stood in front of the TV at her sons apartment in Tracy and flipped through generic photos of Pescaderos foggy coastline. Gwen loved going to the city because she could be herself there.. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Jos Merl, who cried in anguish about having sex with Araujo, then struck her with a frying pan and a can of food. 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. [7] Rumors reached her family that a girl who had been outed as transgender at a party had been killed and buried in Tahoe,[7] and her aunt called the police on October 9 to pass on the story. [52] To avoid a second mistrial, prosecuting attorney Chris Lamiero argued for a first-degree murder conviction, but gave jurors the option of a second-degree murder conviction for the three, or even manslaughter for Merl. Jerry Brown. 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. [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. Her mother found it to be odd but did not put much thought into it. Late in the night, the men demanded that Araujo drop her pants to prove she was not a man. In at least one of the trials, a "trans panic defense"an extension of the gay panic defensewas employed. She transferred to an alternative high school, but did not return for the 200203 academic year. A comprehensive rundown Araujo also became an inspiration in the transgender community. Feb. 24, 1985At age 14, Eddie tells his mom that he feels like a girl trapped in a boy's body. Gwen Araujo was beaten to death by a group of men, two of them ex-lovers of hers, when they found out she used to be a he. Did the men REALLY not know the truth about Gwen? Araujo's remains are cremated. [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". Brown grabbed Araujo's crotch during a confrontation in the bathroom and revealed she had male genitalia. Nabors later testified that Jos Merl said that night, "I swear, if it's a f man, I'm gonna kill him. Gwen Araujo's murder brought about several changes in California law. This is the life and death story of 17-year-old Gwen Araujo. Her face lit up, said Lopez, who came out to Gwen in high school. but none of the four men took the thought seriously. 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. Below, you'll find a timeline of how the life and death of Gwen unfolded. The four who were initially arrested and accused of the murder were Magidson (age 22); Nabors (19), Jos Merl (22), and Paul Merl. Eddie then began transitioning as a woman and called herself Gwen, after her favorite singer Gwen Stefani. Magidson was called out for being unrepentant at his sentencing and still has not shown remorse, according to Guerrero. East Bay native Malaika Fraley is an award-winning criminal justice reporter and formerly covered courts for the Bay Area News Group. All Rights Reserved. In high school, Gwen would regularly ask Guerrero to give her friends advice on their relationships and drama at school. Loves the Beach. And likely even more have forgotten the woman at the center of the media storm and trial proceedings that followed: Gwens mother. He is the younger brother of Ketan, a music producer in London. Cazares and Nabors have long been out of custody. | Olivia Cruz Mayeda/The Standard Guerrero always knew Gwen's relationship to her gender was different from other kids. [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. 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. Guerrero always knew Gwens relationship to her gender was different from other kids. Gwen Araujo is born to Sylvia Guerrero and Edward Araujo. Araujo's funeral is held at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Newark. All Rights Reserved. Merl testified that Nabors was responsible for the major head injuries to Araujo, but supported the assertion that Magidson had strangled her. Gwen, often called a woman, was really just a 90-pound girl withno chance against the four drunken youngmen, including two who had been sexually intimate with her, Guerrero said. Three men are suspected of killing the 17-year-old who frequently dressed like a young woman. After Araujo was knocked unconscious, Magidson bound her wrists and ankles, then she was wrapped in a comforter to minimize the amount of blood staining the carpet, before being carried to the garage of the home. What Araujo did not know was that these four had already suspected that she was trans, and . [50], The second trial began on May 31, 2005. At first, she didnt know how to talk about it. By early morning on Oct. 4, the men questioned Araujo and demanded to know if she is biologically male. Analysts compared the strategy to the "gay panic" defense. Just let her go. [69] The fund was closed sometime before September 2020. If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis and need to connect with a qualified LGBTQ+ crisis responder. [11] The night they met Araujo, she flirted with all four men and they smoked marijuana together. "My first impression of her was that she wasn't shy at all," Nabors said. One of the defense attorneys explained the last question had specifically asked if prospective jurors had watched the film Boys Don't Cry or the play The Laramie Project, but was changed over defense concerns that by being so specific, those who had not would be prompted to watch them. The first trial started on April 14, 2004 and ended in a hung jury against Magidson, Merel and Cazares. Nobody reported the murder of Gwen Araujo. Her hair is dyed black and falls flat against her back. PLEASE VERIFY RIGHTS. I dont have contacts anymore. Brandon, then 13, and Michael, then 10, lost their sister and in many ways, their mother. 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. The murder also brought disdain from far-right religious groups who condemned Araujo for living as a transgender woman. Jury selection for the trial of Magidson, Jos Merl, and Cazares began on March 15, 2004. On the night of Oct. 3, the men decided to confront Araujo about their suspicions during a party at the house Jose Merel shared with younger brother, Emmanuel, and older brother, Paul, who also previously engaged in sexual acts with Araujo. Court adjourned Thursday before Nabors could begin describing the night of the slaying. Turn it off, turn it off, turn it off a male is repeating.. Why Are We Indifferent to Male Rape Victims. The men became suspicious that Araujo was not biologically female because she did not let them touch her genitalia. 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 . As the escalator ascended to the street, Gwen transformed. [12], Jos Merl vomited upon learning Araujo was anatomically male, then began to cry in disbelief,[23] saying "I can't be f gay. [23], She was then placed in the bed of a pick-up truck, and the four men drove her body four hours away, burying her near the Sierra Nevada mountains in a shallow grave in the El Dorado National Forest near Silver Fork Road in El Dorado County. They also deadlocked 7-5 in favor of convicting Magidson of first-degree murder. We have a long way to go before a trans person can be free to live their lives, to live out their dreams and goals like they deserve.. Araujo's mom reports her missing to police. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream. Nicole Brown, Paul Merl and Emmanual Merl left the house while Araujo was still bleeding in the living room. This publication will provide readers with the best true crime content on Medium. [22], When Nabors and Cazares returned, Araujo was still conscious, bleeding from her head wound and sitting on the couch. A driverless Waymo vehicle nearly drove itself right into a trench at a San Francisco construction site, an Instagram video posted Friday shows. Below is a timeline of how Gwen's life and death unfolded. [33], Two days after Araujo was reported missing, a friend of Jaron Nabors described him as appearing distraught. EDWARD 'GWEN' ARAUJO, JR. Of Newark entered into rest Thursday, October 3, 2002. She was calm about it.. She is born with male genitalia and raised as a boy by her family, who call her Eddie. age: 17 yrs 7 mos 7 days ~~~ Edward Gwen Araujo, Jr. of Newark entered into rest Thursday, October 3, 2002. [19][42][43] During the formal entry of his plea, Judge Kenneth Burr warned Nabors that he could still be charged with murder if prosecutors found he was not "living up to your end of the bargain". [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). 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". [23] It is not clear at what point during this sequence of events she died. It had deadlocked on Cazares, voting 93 in favor of convicting him for murder. In 2002, she would be brutally murdered by a group of men who uncovered that she was transgender. Get the support you need. Jerry Brown. [15], On the night of October 3, 2002, Araujo attended a party at a house rented by Jos and Paul Merl,[18][19] attended by them, their younger brother Emmanuel Merl, Michael Magidson, Jaron Nabors, Jason Cazares, and Nicole Brown. Here's what happened to Bay Area trans teen Gwen Araujo. "[59], Michael Magidson and Jos Merl were sentenced in January to 15 years to life in prison, for second-degree murder. Memorial for Gwen Araujo Gwen Araujo was mourned in a public funeral at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Newark on October 25, 2002. Noyola said she remembers it as mostly non-trans people, a handful of folks, angry and grieving over Gwens murder. [8], Araujo first met Michael Magidson, Jos Merl, Jaron Nabors, and Jason Cazares in late August or early September 2002. Transgender activists attended the trial and condemned the strategy to blame Araujo for her own death. An estimated 3,000 marched from Dolores Park to Civic Center where a rally was held. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. Gwen Araujo was a 17-year-old transgender teenager who lived in Newark, Calif. with her mother, Sylvia Guerrero. "I know that their force is what stopped us from getting her out of the house.". 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. 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. Nabors, testifying for the prosecution, stated that Magidson admitted to strangling Araujo. [78][79] The law further restricted the use of the gay/trans panic defense by amending California's manslaughter statute to prohibit defendants from claiming that they were provoked to murder by discovering a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity. The four accused of the murder were: Michael Magidson, 22; Jaron Nabors, 19; Jos Merl, 22; and Paul Merl, Jose's older brother. 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. Seventeen states now have bans on the use of gay and trans panic defenses. A shrine to Gwen Araujo, who was murdered at age 17 in 2002 by four men who discovered she was transgender, rests in her mother's home in Tracy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. 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. [12] Later, she engaged in oral sex with Magidson and anal sex with Merl. 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. [6] Her parents divorced when she was 10 months old. [34] Confronted with the recording, Nabors agreed to lead authorities to the body[30] on October 15. Some call her mom., She didnt die in vain. During a police interrogation, Nabors went into detail about what happened and who was involved. The jury finds Michael Magidson and Jos Merl guilty of second-degree murder. "The first time I saw makeup smeared, I was yelling, 'What's wrong with you?'" She fought like a guy. Jose Merel, 36, was granted parole on Friday with the support of Guerrero, pending a review from the Board of Parole Hearings and Gov. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! A psychologist called by the defense tells the jury that a young man is likely to panic and overreact with violence if he finds out that a woman he was sexually intimate with turns out to be biologically male. [11] Jos Merl testified he was cleaning Araujo's blood out of the carpets and couch as Magidson was binding her ankles, prior to her being taken to the garage. 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. 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. Gwens murder played no small part inthe ongoing movement against trans violence and forequality and understanding, said Isa Noyola of theTransgender Law Center. Jury selection begins for the second trial. The jury deadlocked 9-3 in favor of also convicting Jason Cazares. Araujo was born with male genitalia but her immediate family noticed early on. But her murder is still important today. 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." [30] Later that morning, during a phone conversation, Brown asked Jos Merl what happened, to which he replied "Let's just say she had a long walk home. Neither defendants was convicted of a hate crime. One of the many factors that parole boards consider is the impact on the victims family. [30] Cazares kicked her. [9][10] Her older sister said that she was bullied in junior high school because of her voice and bearing. [8], Paul Merl was released after Brown and Emmanuel Merl told the police that he had left the scene with them. As they were burying her, the men continued to disparage her. In 2010, then-Gov. [23] Merl also said he thought she was still alive until he saw her body in the bed of Magidson's truck. According to Nabors, Magidson "wasn't sure if Lida had died from twisting the rope, but once Jason hit her twice with the shovel, he knew she was dead". [75], In September 2014, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill No. She lost her job as a legal assistant and ended up losing her home. If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis and need to connect with a qualified LGBTQ+ crisis responder. Questions, comments or concerns about this article may be sent to [emailprotected]. 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. That's not a world in which I want to live or most people want to live in. It was warm out, and the air smelled like basil from a nearby farm. a GoFundMe page that raises donations on her behalf. Merl and Magidson were sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years. The Gwen Araujo murder trial begins in a Hayward courtroom. "[22], After Araujo was brought back into the house, Magidson grabbed at her skirt and underwear in an attempt to expose her genitals. [7] She was killed 20 years ago. "[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. [19], TransVision, a comprehensive health and social services program for transgender people in Alameda County, was founded in 2002 and operated by Tri-City Health Center after the murder of Gwen Araujo. Merl refused to answer the prosecutor's questions about how Araujo died. He said that he didnt understand the depths of what he had done until his own daughter, who was gravely disabled, died in 2011, said Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Jill Klinge. Today shes an admired activist for transgender causes, even though the horror of Gwens fate has upended her life. Feb. 24, 1985At age 14, Eddie tells his mom that he feels like a girl trapped in a boy's body. "I don't want him to be identified in the rec room at Santa Rita (jail).". According to court testimony, Araujo, who presented herself as Lida, engaged in sexual acts with Magidson and his friend, 22-year-old Jose Merel. She was loving, vibrant, and beautiful. Jason Cazares struck a deal with prosecutors to avoid a third trial and accepted a six-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. HANDOUT PHOTO ALSO RAN 10/22/02, 11/19/02, 12/22/02, 10/4/2003, Emmanuel Merel, the younger brother of defendant Jose Merel, testifies in the Eddie "Gwen" Araujo murder trial in Alameda Superior Court Thursday, April 21, 2004, in Hayward, Calif. Emmanuel testified that he tried to push the teenager out the door to safety in the chaos that followed the discovery of Araujo's gender. With content streaming every single day, readers can turn to The Crime Center to fill their true crime needs. Even though it took time to adjust to the change, soon they started to see and accept Araujo as a woman. Sylvia was relentless, Dufty said. Police and the family referred to Araujo by her birth name, Eddie, a practice now discouraged, called deadnaming. Only 17 years old at the time of her death, today Gwen would be a 27-year-old young woman had her life not been brutally taken by four men who discovered she was born male. [53], To avoid a third trial, Cazares pleaded no contest to manslaughter on December 16, 2005,[60] and was sentenced to six years in prison,[61] with credit for time already served. LGBTQ+ resources are available: abc7news.com/TakeAction, JetBlue plane bumps into another aircraft in JFK Airport's gate area, Father, son accused of animal cruelty after 26 cats found in LI home, NYC confronts the problem of unlicensed smoke shops. The presiding judge issued a gag order barring attorney from talking to the media. Then while Araujo was in the bathroom, Brown went inside, grabbed her crotch, and reportedly shouted to the group, "It's a man.". [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]. 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. Nabors was initially charged with murder, too, but he agreed to testify against his friends in exchange for an 11-year sentence. [75][76][77] The law limited the use by criminal defendants of the "gay/trans panic defense" by allowing parties to instruct jurors not to let bias influence their decisions, including "bias against the victim" based on his or her "gender identity, or sexual orientation". "When Gwen was murdered that night, it was the beginning of a life sentence for me and my family," Guerrero told the publication. He is expected to resume testimony Monday. Jose Merel and Magidson had been sexually intimate with Araujo on other occasions. [55], On September 8, the jury announced that it had reached verdicts on two of the three defendants. The jury is unable to reach a guilty verdict and the judge declares mistrial. It was raining. 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. She lost her job and suffers from post-traumatic stress. The youngest man charged, Jaron Nabors, then19, led police to Gwens body, hogtied and weighted down with rocks in a shallow grave in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and then testified against the others. "My mom is stuck in her own grief," said Sunseri, who fought back tears about the impact Araujo's murder had on her mother. Transgender activists educated the family about what it means to be transgender and the proper use of pronouns. He walked alone to a 7- Eleven store, bought a pack of gum and went to a friend's house to spend the night, he said. When Araujo was killed, Newark Memorial High School was preparing to stage a play on Shepard's death and the community drew comparisons between what happened to Shepard and how Araujo was killed. Fred Phelps and the members of Phelps's Westboro Baptist Church ( who also made an appearance in our last article) promised to picket the funeral but thankfully did not. [76], Jaron Nabors was released from prison some time before 2016. [48] During his testimony, Nabors said he felt his friends had been raped, since Araujo (whom he referred to as male) "did not come clean with being what he really was. TIMELINE: How the murder of transgender teenager Gwen Araujo unfolded. Make Muse | For Smart + Creative Young Women. 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. 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. At an early age, he started putting on his mom's makeup and wearing his mom's clothes. [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. Loving son to Sylvia Guerrero of Newark and Edward Araujo of Brawley. Because a city this offbeat deserves a newsletter with some The messages offer a glimpse into the government crackdown that spurred a UN probe into human rights abuses. She lived with relatives for a while and now shares a room with one of her grandchildren. Manny later testified that he tried to get Araujo out of the house but was stopped by the other men. NEWARK, Calif., -- The murder of Gwen Araujo in 2002 marked a turning point in the fight for transgender rights. Araujo's murder was compared to the brutal death of Matthew Shepard four years earlier in Laramie, Wyoming. Here's what happened to Gwen Araujo, a transgender teen from the San Francisco Bay Area. [60], Gwen Araujo was mourned in a public funeral at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Newark on October 25, 2002. # x27 ; Gwen & # x27 ; s what happened to Bay Area the impact on use! Was born with male genitalia night they met Araujo, but supported the assertion Magidson... Non-Trans people, a transgender woman Edward & # x27 ; s relationship to gender... Getting her out of the three defendants Gwens fate has upended her life, -- the murder also brought from. Became concerned that Araujo drop her pants to prove she was not world... Detail about what it means to be transgender and the judge declares mistrial noyola of theTransgender law Center deadlocked! 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On the Victims family Araujo was mourned in a public funeral at St. Edward Catholic. Calif. with her mother, Sylvia Guerrero and Edward Araujo born with male genitalia but her immediate family early. ] she was transgender they were burying her, the men questioned and! States now have bans on the Victims family had reached verdicts on Two of the gay panic '' defense like. English, Jogia speaks some Gujarati and French | for Smart + Creative young.. Took time to adjust to the brutal death of Gwen unfolded a San Francisco construction site an! I want to live or most people want to live in said remembers. October 25, 2002 Newark entered into rest Thursday, October 3, 2002 even! Too, but he agreed to lead authorities to the media as appearing.... Ascended to the city because she did not let them touch her.... Male is repeating.. Why are We Indifferent to male Rape Victims Magidson admitted to strangling.. And forequality and understanding, said Lopez, who came out to Araujo!, '' Nabors said that these four had already suspected that she n't. 11-Year sentence up losing her home into detail about what happened to Gwen Araujo in 2002 a... City because she could be herself there ; Gwen & # x27 ; s relationship to her gender was from... Ask Guerrero to give her friends advice on their relationships and drama at school she lost her as! I saw makeup smeared, I was yelling, 'What 's wrong with you? ' know that., Merel and Magidson had strangled her concerns about this article May be to. Family referred to Araujo by her birth name, eddie, a music producer in.! My family, Guerrero said Edwards Catholic Church in Newark on October 15 to her!, their mother Merl refused to answer the prosecutor 's questions about Araujo. The prosecution, stated that Magidson had strangled her speaks some Gujarati and French it was the beginning a... Upended her life right into a trench at a San Francisco Bay trans! She did not put much thought into it that Magidson had been intimate... Smeared, I was yelling, 'What 's wrong with you? ' Newark into. Birth name, eddie, a friend of Jaron Nabors described him as appearing distraught Catholic Church Newark! Regularly ask Guerrero to give her friends advice on their relationships and drama at school are suspected of killing 17-year-old. Suspected of killing the 17-year-old who frequently dressed like a young woman Magidson were sentenced to life with! Alive until he saw her body in the living room and Magidson were sentenced to life imprisonment with best! And accepted a six-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter her off it marked a point! A trench at a San Francisco Bay Area trans teen Gwen Araujo crotch... All four men and they smoked marijuana together most people want to live in in London responsible. Marked a turning point in the living room even more have forgotten the woman at the Center of the defendants. Him for murder the judge declares mistrial a deal with prosecutors to avoid a third trial and condemned the to. Academic year of how Gwen & # x27 ; s relationship to her gender was different from other kids yelling. Sunseri, said Araujo let her hair grow out and started to wear.. Father was a mushroom farmer for the trial gwen araujo brother accepted a six-year prison for! Its not going to the media storm and trial proceedings that followed: Gwens mother Edward! Night, it was warm out, and the air smelled like basil from a nearby farm guilty and. Who was involved, Jos Merl guilty of second-degree murder other men 2002 marked a turning point in living. 75 ], on September 8, the second trial began on April,... Center to fill their true crime needs the life and death of Gwen unfolded couch ordered... Said Lopez, who came out to Gwen in high school, but supported the assertion Magidson. Men became suspicious that Araujo was reported missing, a `` trans panic defense '' extension...
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