Greeley Murder Victim Was Transgender

For Fort Collins Now

An investigation into the death of Justin Zapata, 18, of Greeley last week has taken a different step, as the victim is now known to have gone by the name of Angie Zapata and was living as a woman.

A search warrant for Zapata’s apartment in the 2000 block of 4th Street indicates she suffered fatal wounds to the head and face. She was apparently beaten to death.

Police are still looking for Zapata’s car, a green 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser, with the Colorado license plate number of 441ORN.

Police did not say whether Zapata’s gender identity played a part in the homicide.

Zapata’s sister, Monica, was quoted in a press release from the Colorado Anti-Violence Program. “We want to get the whole community involved to find this person who hurt my sister and to let everyone be aware that all she wanted was to be beautiful. We want this violence to end. Transgender people deserve to be treated with respect.”

Zapata’s gender identity has caused problems for her in the past, according to Kelly Costello, director of Victim Services for the Colorado Anti-Violence Program. “But her family had been very supportive of her and were angry she had been called a man in past (news) stories.”

Zapata’s family was unavailable to confirm Costello’s statement.

In a press release quoted Tuesday on the TransGriot Web site, Kelly asked readers to contact The Tribune to complain about Zapata first being reported as a man. The newspaper has received about a dozen email complaints.

The Greeley police and the Weld County Coroner’s Office identify Zapata as a man.

Her obituary, however, shows the family accepted her as a woman.

A statewide search of criminal records shows Zapata was never arrested for a crime but had received a few traffic citations. She appeared three times in Weld County Court, all under the name Justin Zapata, but twice was identified as a male and once as a female.

The murder of transgenders has happened before, and it could be classified as a hate crime, Kelly said.

Zapata’s body was found July 17 in the apartment, according to the warrant. After family members were unable to reach her by telephone, her sister went to the house and got a key from the landlord. She found Zapata lying on the living room floor, covered by a blanket. She was already dead.



What is transgender?

Transgender is identified as a person with “nonconforming gender identity and expression.” It involves a male adopting a female identity, or a female adopting a male identity.

He or she

According to the Associated Press, if a person lives publicly as a member of the other sex, and presents themselves as a member of that sex, they should be referred to as the sex they prefer. Therefore, in news stories, Zapata will have female references.

Hate crimes

Nineteen murders nationwide last year had motives that were anti lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, according to the 2007 Hate Violence Report released by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. The Colorado Anti-Violence Program documented 118 incidents of bias-motivated violence in the state in 2007.

What is transgender? Transgender is identified as a person with “nonconforming gender identity and expression.” It involves a male adopting a female identity, or a female adopting a male identity. He or she According to the Associated Press, if a person lives publicly as a member of the other sex, and presents themselves as a member of that sex, they should be referred to as the sex they prefer. Therefore, in news stories, Zapata will have female references. Hate crimes Nineteen murders nationwide last year had motives that were anti lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, according to the 2007 Hate Violence Report released by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. The Colorado Anti-Violence Program documented 118 incidents of bias-motivated violence in the state in 2007.