View source for Angie Zapata

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Angie_Zapata Article Source]


[[File:Angie2 (3445518954) (cropped).jpg|thumb]]
'''Angie Zapata''' (August 5, 1989 {{ndash}} July 17, 2008) was an American [[trans woman]] beaten to death in [[Greeley, Colorado]]. Her killer, Allen Andrade, was convicted of [[first-degree murder]] and committing a [[bias-motivated crime|hate crime]], because he murdered her after learning she was [[transgender]]. The case was the first in the nation to get a conviction for a hate crime involving a [[List of people killed for being transgender|transgender victim]], which occurred in 2009.<ref name="spellman2009">{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Spellman |title=Transgender murder, hate crime conviction a first |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/22/transgender.slaying.trial/ |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=April 22, 2009 |access-date=April 22, 2009 |archive-date=September 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929104414/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/22/transgender.slaying.trial/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Zapata's story and murder were featured on [[Univision]]'s November 1, 2009 ''[[Aquí y Ahora (TV program)|Aquí y Ahora]]'' television show.

==Early life==

Zapata was born on August 5, 1989, in [[Brighton, Colorado]]. From an early age, Zapata was feminine and expressed an [[Androphilia and gynephilia|attraction to boys]]. In middle school, Zapata disclosed her female gender identity to family and close friends. She adopted the name "Angie" when amongst family, while presenting as male in public. At the age of 16, she began living full-time as a woman.<ref name="spellman2009"/><ref name="Asmar">{{cite news |first=Melanie |last=Asmar |title=Who was Angie Zapata? Her murderer's trial didn't tell the whole story |url=http://www.westword.com/2009-05-28/news/who-was-angie-zapata-her-murderer-s-trial-didn-t-tell-the-whole-story |work=[[Westword]] |date=May 28, 2009 |access-date=June 19, 2014 |archive-date=June 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627131902/http://www.westword.com/2009-05-28/news/who-was-angie-zapata-her-murderer-s-trial-didn-t-tell-the-whole-story/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Zapata had three sisters and an older brother, Gonzalo. Her family was supportive, although her mother worried for her safety.<ref name="Asmar" />

==Murder and trial==
Zapata was 18 when she met Allen Andrade (aged 31 at the time) through the mobile phone social network [[MocoSpace]].<ref name="Asmar"/> According to Andrade, the two met on July 15, 2008, and spent nearly three days together, during which Zapata performed oral sex on Andrade but refused to let Andrade touch her. Andrade suspected Zapata was transgender after seeing photographs of her and confirmed she was transgender after grabbing her genitals after confronting her, to which she said "I am all woman". 

He subsequently began beating her—first with his fists and then with a fire extinguisher —until she was dead. Zapata attempted to sit up and "gurgled” but Andrade hit her on the head again to make sure she was dead.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/story?id=5487781&page=1 | title=Transgender Teen's Murder Suspect Snapped | website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] }}</ref> 

In the arrest affidavit, Andrade said he thought he had "killed it" before leaving in Zapata's car with the murder weapon and other incriminating evidence.<ref name="whaley2008c">{{cite news |first=Monte |last=Whaley |title=Transgender victim referred to as "it" |url=http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10049216 |work=[[The Denver Post]] |date=July 31, 2008 |access-date=April 17, 2009 |archive-date=April 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422002516/http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10049216 |url-status=live }}</ref> Andrade was arrested near his residence driving Zapata's car.<ref name="banda2008">{{cite news |first=P. Solomon |last=Banda |title=Colorado man charged in transgender slaying |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-07-31-3205401438_x.htm |work=[[USA Today]] |date=July 31, 2008 |access-date=August 21, 2017 |archive-date=May 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503124718/http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-07-31-3205401438_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> 

The possibility of prosecuting the case as a hate crime was pressed by Zapata's family.<ref name="post2008">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Hundreds mourn slain teen; hate crime suspected |url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_9977058?source=rss |work=[[The Denver Post]] |date=July 23, 2008 |access-date=July 18, 2009 |archive-date=June 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605021158/http://www.denverpost.com/ci_9977058?source=rss |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="whaley2008a">{{cite news |first=Monte |last=Whaley |title=Kin believe transgender teen's killing a hate crime |url=http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9984188 |work=[[The Denver Post]] |date=July 24, 2008 |access-date=April 17, 2009 |archive-date=April 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422003517/http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9984188 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="whaley2008b">{{cite news |first=Monte |last=Whaley |title=Transgender teen's murder possibly a hate crime |url=http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9989236 |work=[[The Denver Post]] |date=July 25, 2008 |access-date=April 17, 2009 |archive-date=April 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422003046/http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9989236 |url-status=live }}</ref> The actual trial began on April 16, 2009. During the trial, the jury heard jailhouse conversations in which Andrade told a girlfriend that "gay things must die".<ref name="spellman2009"/> Part of Andrade's confession was deemed inadmissible as police had ignored Andrade's attempt to invoke his [[right to remain silent]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bilerico.lgbtqnation.com/2009/03/judge_throws_out_confession_in_angie_zap.php|title=Judge throws out confession in Angie Zapata case|first=Alex|last=Blaze|work=The Bilerico Project|date=March 12, 2009|access-date=April 4, 2022}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

On April 22, 2009, Andrade was found guilty of first-degree murder, hate crimes, aggravated motor vehicle theft, and identity theft.<ref name="Luning">{{cite news|first=Ernest |last=Luning |title=Andrade sentenced to life without parole in Zapata killing |date=April 22, 2009 |url=http://coloradoindependent.com/27302/breaking-andrade-sentenced-to-life-without-parole-in-zapata-killing |work=[[The Colorado Independent]] |access-date=July 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505074714/http://coloradoindependent.com/27302/breaking-andrade-sentenced-to-life-without-parole-in-zapata-killing |archive-date=May 5, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Asmar blog">{{cite news|first=Melanie |last=Asmar |title=In Zapata case, sixty years added to murderer's life sentence |date=May 8, 2009 |url=http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/05/in_zapata_case_sixty_years_added_to_murderers_life_sentence.php |work=[[Westword]] |access-date=July 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614124155/http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/05/in_zapata_case_sixty_years_added_to_murderers_life_sentence.php |archive-date=June 14, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was sentenced to [[life in prison]] without the possibility of parole.<ref name="Luning"/> As Andrade had six prior felony convictions, the judge dubbed him a "habitual criminal" at his May 8, 2009 sentencing trial for the hate crime and theft convictions. This added an additional 60 years to his sentence.<ref name="Asmar blog"/> As of October 2015, Andrade is serving his time at [[Limon Correctional Facility]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doc.state.co.us/oss/|title=Andrade, Allen R DOC # 104109|author=Colorado Department of Corrections|date=n.d.|access-date=October 1, 2015|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923215616/http://www.doc.state.co.us/oss/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Dedication ==

The 2011 novel ''The Butterfly and the Flame'' by Dana De Young was dedicated in part to Zapata's memory.<ref>The Butterfly and the Flame, by De Young, Dana. Published by iUniverse Apr 27, 2011. Read May 30, 2011</ref>

[[Ozomatli]] references Zapata in their song "Gay Vatos in Love", on their 2010 album ''[[Fire Away (album)|Fire Away]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2010/05/ozomatli-in-mexico.html | work=Los Angeles Times | title=La Plaza | date=May 2, 2010 | access-date=December 13, 2012 | archive-date=February 6, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206032342/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2010/05/ozomatli-in-mexico.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Murder of Gwen Araujo]]
*[[Brandon Teena]]
*[[List of people killed for being transgender]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.respectance.com/Angie_Zapata/ Angie Zapata] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818051853/http://www.respectance.com/Angie_Zapata/ |date=August 18, 2010 }} via Respectance.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zapata, Angie}}
[[Category:Violence against trans women]]
[[Category:History of women in Colorado]]