Any woman that knows you after this, it's not going to matter. Over the course of the trial, defense attorney Tony Serra, who represented Jason Cazares, attacked the credibility of Jaron Nabors, whom he accused of being the primary aggressor and blaming his friends for the murder. How safe is your neighborhood? | Olivia Cruz Mayeda/The Standard, By clicking Subscribe you confirm you have read and agree to our. 2501 into law. [7] Besides English, Jogia speaks some Gujarati and French. They viciously beat and strangled Gwento death at a Newark house party on Oct. 4,2002, after they confirmed she was biologically male. Editors note: A previous version of this story incorrectly noted that Sylvia Guerrero was the youngest of her siblings. Seventeen states now have bans on the use of gay and trans panic defenses. Jose Merel hit her in the head with a frying pan and a can of soup. J. Tony Serra, Cazares' attorney, asked Emmanuel Merel why he had not called police the night of the attack. Gwen Araujo was a 17-year-old transgender woman from Newark, California. [7], Araujo came out as transgender in 1999 at the age of 14, and began using the name Gwen after her favorite musician, Gwen Stefani, but also went by Wendy and Lida. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. 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. [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. The defense maintains Araujo tricked the defendants into sexual relations. [39][40][41] At the first trial, defense attorney Tony Serra accused Nabors of writing the letter knowing it would be intercepted and implicate Cazares. In court, two of the men who strangled, beat and buried the trans teenager claimed gay panic.. All Rights Reserved. [15][21][22][25] Araujo begged the men to stop, saying "No, please don't. Noyola said she remembers it as mostly non-trans people, a handful of folks, angry and grieving over Gwens murder. In announcing the bill's introduction they cited the murder of Araujo and the 2008 murder of gay California teen Larry King. Guerrero grew up with zero knowledge of gender outside the binary. "She had no problem flirting.". If they actually did know, then why did they kill her? On their way home, they purchased breakfast at a McDonald's drive-through window. [33], Two days after Araujo was reported missing, a friend of Jaron Nabors described him as appearing distraught. [61], Jos Merl was granted parole in 2016 with the support of Sylvia Guerrero. Her older sister, Pearl Sunseri, said Araujo let her hair grow out and started to wear makeup. Jason Cazares struck a deal with prosecutors to avoid a third trial and accepted a six-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. Gwen Amber Rose Araujo was a teenager who lived in Newark, California. Cherished brother to Pearl and Jesus Serrano of C But I trust juries to understand that people don't get to make life or death decisions simply based on someone's lifestyle. 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. [58], Lamiero had undermined criminal intent by commenting, "Gwen being transgender was not a provocative act. 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. [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 also knew her daughter had a drinking problem and brought up rehab. When youre in a big family, youre either going to want a bunch of kids or youre not going to want any, she said. She lost her job as a legal assistant and ended up losing her home. The other two, Jaron Nabors and Jason Cazares, took plea bargains to voluntary manslaughter. Guerrero sees her daughters legacy firsthand each time the Lifetime movie, A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Storyairs. [31] Merl was concerned with cleaning Araujo's blood off the couch[30] and carpet before retreating to his room so the others would not see him crying.[23]. He also said that he and Jose Merel had been alone in a bedroom with Araujo, where they engaged in some flirtatious petting. Her father was a mushroom farmer for the Campbell Soup Company in Pescadero, where she was raised. 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. Below is a timeline of how Gwen's life and death unfolded. In her death, shes allowed me to see how much I took for granted, Guerrero said. The men had claimed a gay/trans panic, a murder defense later made illegal in California in Gwens name with the help of Guerreros activism. 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. At first, she didn't know how to talk about it. 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. [6] 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. 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 a Lida, engaged in sexual . Gwen Araujo was a 17-year-old transgender teenager who lived in Newark, Calif. with her mother, Sylvia Guerrero. Araujo's remains are cremated. He left, along with his brother Paul and his girlfriend, while Araujo was bloodied in the living room. He is the younger brother of Ketan, a music producer in London. Two of the men, Michael Magidson and Jose Merel were convicted of 2nd degree murder and face sentences of 15 years to life. Sunseri said. Jerry Brown. 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. [12], Jos Merl vomited upon learning Araujo was anatomically male, then began to cry in disbelief,[23] saying "I can't be f gay. Magidson also testified and under cross-examination said he received oral sex from Araujo the night she was killed. Get the support you need. Police arrest a fourth suspect in Araujo's murder, Jason Cazares. Guerrero has been unable to return to work and now shuffles her belongings from relatives' houses using a borrowed car from her friend. Her mother found it to be odd but did not put much thought into it. "[15][24] Jos Merl became angry and struck her in the head with a can of food, denting the can and opening a cut on her head,[24] and then he struck her again with a frying pan. Ill never forget the day Sylvia opened the door to her house, said Bernal, now a single mother of seven. 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. Sylvia Guerrero is seen in San Francisco on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. After the initial deluge of sympathy letters stopped arriving and donations dried up, Guerrero was left with an eviction notice, no source of income and unimaginable trauma. Her depression, anxiety and PTSD are so debilitating, Guerrero hasnt been able to find a full-time job. Deputy District Attorney Chris Lamiero announced he will seek a second trial. [17][21] Brown was surprised and blurted out, "It's a f man! | Olivia Cruz Mayeda/The Standard Guerrero always knew Gwen's relationship to her gender was different from other kids. One of the many factors that parole boards consider is the impact on the victims family. Edward "Gwen" Araujo, Jr. of Newark entered into rest Thursday, October 3, 2002. Gwens mother is one of the victims that transphobic violence leaves behind. 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. 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. Jos Merl testified and admitted he was ignorant about his thinking about sexuality at the time of the murder. [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]. [65][66], At the request of Guerrero, a judge posthumously changed the victim's legal name to Gwen Amber Rose Araujo on June 23, 2004. [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. She left me with no filter, too. At the same time, Gwen's mother suffered from PTSD from the trial. At another point, he consoled his brother, Jose Merel, who was crying. It was just a passing thought, and no one took it seriously, he said. Nabors and Cazares urged the others to "knock the b out", according to Nabors's testimony. 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. [7] In 2010, then-Gov. Even though it took time to adjust to the change, soon they started to see and accept Araujo as a woman. 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. Over the next few hours, Araujo was punched and beaten as she tried repeatedly to escape the house. [76], Jaron Nabors was released from prison some time before 2016. Watch the ABC7 Originals documentary, "Being Gwen: A Life and Death Story," streaming now in the video player below. [29] The final votes were 102 in favor of acquitting Merl and Cazares of first-degree murder, and 75 in favor of convicting Magidson of first-degree murder. 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 prosecution's star witness, who has accepted a plea deal for his role in the death. [30] After this, the defendants' testimonies diverge. [51] Magidson, Merl, and Cazares were charged with first-degree murder with hate-crime enhancements.[52]. Fred Phelps and the members of Phelps's Westboro Baptist Church promised to picket the funeral,[36] but did not.,[64] there were people there that picket with signs but friends wore angel wings to block casket from signs. I feel like he forced them into homosexual sex, and my definition of rape was being forced into sex." [50], The second trial began on May 31, 2005. [25][26] The last words Merl heard Araujo speak were "I told you I was sorry. 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. At age 14, Araujo sat down with her mom for a heart-to-heart talk. Sylvia Guerrero said that she wants attorneys to refer to her daughter as Gwen when the case is retried. Curating the best of The Standards top-notch reporting, every Saturday. She transferred to an alternative high school, but did not return for the 200203 academic year. [17], In the early morning hours of October 4, Magidson asked Araujo to reveal her sex or allow him to touch her genitals, which she refused. Gwen Amber Rose Araujo (February 24, 1985 - October 4, 2002 [1]) was an American teenager who was murdered in Newark, California. However, the autopsy showed that she died from strangulation associated with blunt force trauma to the head. The first trial started on April 14, 2004 and ended in a hung jury against Magidson, Merel and Cazares. [25] Jos Merl became concerned that Araujo was bleeding on the couch and ordered her off it. She lives in this prison in her own mind.". Gwen Amber Rose Araujo was a teenager who lived in Newark, California. 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. The other two defendants pleaded guilty or no-contest to voluntary manslaughter. The murder also brought disdain from far-right religious groups who condemned Araujo for living as a transgender woman. Publicity by transgender activists was credited with informing the public about the tactics the defense lawyers had adopted to blame Araujo for her own death, changing the approach to the case. Morbidology Podcast The article continues below Morbidology is a weekly true crime podcast created and hosted by Emily G. Thompson. [5] The party was also attended by the Merls' younger brother Emmanuel, Michael Magidson, Jaron Nabors, Jason Cazares, and Nicole Brown. 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. Four men brutally murdered her. AB 2501 became the first state law in the nation to prohibit the use of the "gay panic" or "trans panic" defenses. She just wanted to jump into the crowd.. With content streaming every single day, readers can turn to The Crime Center to fill their true crime needs. Cazares and Nabors have long been out of custody. In high school, Gwen would regularly ask Guerrero to give her friends advice on their relationships and drama at school. Gwens murder played no small part inthe ongoing movement against trans violence and forequality and understanding, said Isa Noyola of theTransgender Law Center. NEWARK, Calif. (KGO) -- She was killed 20 years ago. Merl and Magidson were sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Momsespecially momsif they knew the factsyou'd be surprised. That's not a world in which I want to live or most people want to live in. The 17-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area was punched, beaten and. Feb. 24, 1985At age 14, Eddie tells his mom that he feels like a girl trapped in a boy's body. 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. Make Muse | For Smart + Creative Young Women. When Gwen was murdered that night, it was the beginning of a life sentence for me and my family, Guerrero said. 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. 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. The Gwen Araujo murder trial begins in a Hayward courtroom. Memorial for Gwen Araujo Gwen Araujo was mourned in a public funeral at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Newark on October 25, 2002. Here's what happened to Bay Area trans teen Gwen Araujo. The elderly woman was a victim of recent storms. Her family reported her missing, but police had no information about her disappearance until Nabors told a close friend about what happened. he testified. 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. In her death, she has literally saved thousands of lives. Guerrero said. [62] Attorney Gloria Allred represented Araujo's family. She was loving, vibrant, and beautiful. But her murder is still important today. Guerrero looked after her 10 younger siblings while her parents worked, getting them ready for school and packing their lunches. 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. 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. The case attracted national attention, both good and bad. This is the life and death story of 17-year-old Gwen Araujo. HAYWARD / Witness tells of friends' anger at being duped / He HAYWARD / Araujo begged for mercy, witness says, THIS IS A HANDOUT IMAGE. 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. [23] It is not clear at what point during this sequence of events she died. PLEASE VERIFY RIGHTS. [22], When Nabors and Cazares returned, Araujo was still conscious, bleeding from her head wound and sitting on the couch. Turn it off, turn it off, turn it off a male is repeating.. Why Are We Indifferent to Male Rape Victims. [Gwen] lived every day of her life yearning and longing to be a girl in every sense of the word, so if anyone who didn't know her made her feel that way, why would she reveal that she is transgender? It was raining. [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". In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Merl was confident that charges would be dropped. She frequently encounters psychological triggers that derail her days. She was the oldest of 11 children to immigrant parents from Irapuato, Mexico. Three men are suspected of killing the 17-year-old who frequently dressed like a young woman. NEWARK19E-C-18OCT02-MT-HO Araujo was born with male genitalia but her immediate family noticed early on. Writing is not a hobby, but a passion. [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. The San Francisco Standard. LGBTQ+ resources are available: abc7news.com/TakeAction. [9], On the first anniversary of the murder, Horizons Foundation created the Gwen Araujo Memorial Fund for Transgender Education. Ordered her off it was just a passing thought, and my of. A woman point, he said her disappearance until Nabors told a close friend what... About his thinking about sexuality at the same time, Gwen would regularly ask Guerrero give! To our six-year prison sentence for me and my family, Guerrero said that she died from associated! Teen Larry King the oldest of 11 children to immigrant parents from Irapuato, Mexico her off it testified... A heart-to-heart talk Nabors was released from prison some time before 2016 have... A heart-to-heart talk a weekly true crime Podcast created and hosted by Emily G. Thompson that! 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