There's been a conviction and a stiff sentence in the brutal murder of Ashley Santiago Ocasio, a 31-year-old transgender woman, was killed at her home outside San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 19 2010, reports EDGE.
A man who confessed to murdering a transgender woman in her Corozal home received a 111-year prison sentence on Monday, Feb. 7. Primera Hora reported Judge Jesús Peluyera imposed the sentence upon Emanuel Adorno Ayala, who confessed to stabbing Ashley Santiago more than a dozen times in April 2010. Primera Hora further reported Santiago’s mother, Carmen Ocasio, tearfully said "this pain will last for the rest of my life" after Peluyera sentenced Ayala.
Santiago was shot in the head and "there was so much blood spattered" that police initially reported Santiago had been repeatedly stabbed. The grisly crime scene raised suspicions that she may have been killed because of her gender identity.
When the killing happened, it renewed complaints that Puerto Rico had never invoked a 2002 hate crime law covering crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Santiago’s murder was about five months after the gruesome murder and dismemberment of 19-year-old Jorge Steven López Mercado. Juan A. Martínez Matos confessed to the crime and is serving a 99-year prison sentence for the crime.
You May Have Missed ...
Puerto Rico Investigates Murder of Trans Woman
Now that sentence is a deterrent against future hate crimes. Bravo Puerto Rico!
Posted by: FREELEO | 07 February 2011 at 15:32
A fitting punishment for such a scumbag. It may not bring this woman back but at least her murderer isn't getting a slap on the wrist.
Posted by: Kevin Perez | 07 February 2011 at 17:04
99 year sentence and 111 yr sentence,..I do hope that serves as a deterrent. PR still has a long way to go toward acceptance but they sure don't play with their law enforcement.
Posted by: Procrastination_Xtravaganza | 08 February 2011 at 11:30
Now that is how you send a message! Very proud of the Puerto Rican criminal justice system.
Posted by: Anti-Intellect | 08 February 2011 at 13:32