The Colorado Anti-Violence Program (CAVP) applauds Weld County District Attorney, Kenneth Buck, prosecutors and law enforcement for filing hate crime charges against 31-year-old Allen Ray Andrade in the beating death of 18-year-old Latina transgender woman, Angie Zapata.The Zapata family expressed their relief that both first degree murder and hate crime charges have been filed. Angie's sister, Monica Murguia, added, "Unfortunately, it's not getting any easier. I thought we'd be done after we buried my sister. It feels like we have to relive it every day."
"It seemed apparent from the information provided to the public that the factual scenario surrounding the vicious murder of Angie Zapata fell clearly within the language of Colorado's bias-motivated crime statute," said Mindy Barton, Legal Director at The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of Colorado. "The support of law enforcement has been key in the expansion of hate crime legislation to include sexual orientation and gender identity. It is vitally important that the suspect is now formally charged with a hate crime as it shows the Weld County District Attorney's Office and the Greeley Police Department are strongly committed to enforcing this law."
"The bias-crime designation sends a message to not only lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities, but also the greater Greeley and Colorado communities that this type of violence is not acceptable," said Kelly Costello, Director of Victim Services at CAVP. "This is vital in ensuring accountability and validating the concern and fear of community members."
The Zapata family has been astonished by the support of family, friends, local and statewide community members and organizations. Many have been instrumental in rallying people together to honor Angie's life and to raise awareness of how violence impacts transgender people.
Colorado's Bias-Motivated Crimes statute "finds and declares that it is the right of every person, regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation to be secure and protected from fear, intimidation, harassment, and physical harm caused by the activities of individuals and groups." Sexual orientation is further defined as "a person's actual or perceived orientation toward heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, or transgender status." The statute was revised in 2005 to include physical or mental disability and sexual orientation.
