Friends remember slain transgendered teen
Jakob Rodgers, Greeley Tribune
Originally published 12:29 p.m., July 24, 2008
Updated 12:29 p.m., July 24, 2008
Courtesy Greeley Tribune
Angie Zapata
Nearly 200 friends and family of Angie Zapata smiled in memory and cried in remorse at her funeral Wednesday night, recalling the transgendered teen as someone who never backed down from who she was.
Zapata, who was born male but identified herself as a woman, was found dead July 17 in her apartment in the 2000 block of 4th Street in Greeley. She had wounds to the head and face.
Her car, a green 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser, with Colorado license plate number of 441ORN, is still missing. Police have not said yet if her identity played a part in the homicide.
"We are here to celebrate the life of a person, the life of a person cut down in the prime of their life," senior pastor Joe Sanchez said at her funeral at the Healing Place, 17801 E. 160th Ave. in Brighton.
Instead of focusing on the tragedy that took Zapata from their lives, those in attendance decided to remember her simple and unique qualities.
The way she would spoil her niece and nephew, even quitting a job to take care of them, as two friends reminisced during the service. The way she loved roses, the colors red and black, and way she always made sure her makeup was good — even simply when taking a trip to Wal-Mart.
"She was always happy," said Alicia Portillo, one of Angie's friends. "She loved music. She didn't care what people thought of her. She always just wanted to be who she was and that was female and to be loved."
Portillo even said Zapata's courage helped her with her own identity as a lesbian.
"Angie gave me the power to not care what people thought of me."
Kelly Costello, of the Colorado Anti-Violence Program, said the group thought Zapata's death might be a hate crime, and that such incidences usually do not end with one act of violence. In 2007, he said, there were 19 deaths nationwide that were linked to either homophobic or transphobic violence.
"We often find that hate crimes have a ripple effect they effect every one that identifies in that community," said Costello. "So it's no longer about the individual, but there's an increased vulnerability and fear among the community."
After Zapata's body was carried from the church, Sanchez talked with friends and family, and recalled a message he tried shared with the family before the service.
"Give them hope," said Sanchez, who continuously remarked how happy he was Zapata began attending the church a month before her death. "And give them a desire to go on and to know that this isn't good-bye, but this is see you in the morning. It's not an end, it's not an end. It's a message of hope for eternity."
For the rest of this story, visit the Greeley Tribune by clicking here.
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July 24, 2008
1:49 p.m.
Suggest removal
Darling writes:
Not the best picture to run, RMN - Boulder Daily Camera has a better, more sympathetic one.
July 24, 2008
2:30 p.m.
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jtriska writes:
I got a feeling that he/she may have seduced someone who thought they were going to sleep with a woman. Then a little something came up and....well you know the rest.
ArtStarzz??? I was sure that this was a pic of Marine Grunt.
July 24, 2008
3:21 p.m.
Suggest removal
freethought writes:
jtriska has been fantasizing a bit too much.
Trannies aren't trying to fool potential lovers, like L-O-L-A!
They actually prefer open and honest relationships to the more sordid idea that you have in mind. Sorry.
July 24, 2008
4:24 p.m.
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rmnreader writes:
It's probably her DL picture. Not usually the best pics of people. I did see some other pics of her that made her look much prettier that could have been posted on here instead. RIP.
July 24, 2008
6:25 p.m.
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HolierThanThou writes:
Evidently, someone takes those conservative "morality" speeches put on by James Dobson and his ilk a tad too seriously.
I guess they just can't see the humor in finding a she-male attractive even if it isn't their bag. These things happen, you know. A few of them look mighty frickin' good...better than a lot of actual women.
Instead of smiling or laughing at these minor human foibles their answer, provided to them by the self-appointed morality-police of America, is hate and murder.
July 24, 2008
7:07 p.m.
Justin_Credible writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
July 24, 2008
8:56 p.m.
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JustMe writes:
The ignorance surrounding trangendered individuals is staggering. There is so much misinformation out there - it's very sad.
May Angie rest in peace. And may this prompt some people to educate themselves about what it actually means to be transgendered.
July 24, 2008
9:06 p.m.
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Mike846 writes:
What happened, or why, doesn't matter. Its a sickening crime, regardless of the details of this young person's life struggles. No one deserves what happened to her. No one. For any reason. Whoever did it needs to ride the needle or bargain down to life with no chance of parole, so he or she can think about it every single day for the rest of their miserable life. RIP. Mike
July 24, 2008
9:53 p.m.
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TheGraphite writes:
Whoever murdered this guy should be executed by the state, publicly and painfully. Murder warrants the death penalty, no matter how wicked the victim was, himself.
At the same time, if a man lives a lifestyle of death, then it shouldn't be surprising if death comes to him more quickly, in whatever form. It's tragic enough when a young man is murdered, but doubly tragic when that young man destroys his soul before someone else destroys his body. John 3:18
- The Graphite
July 24, 2008
10:45 p.m.
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redwhiteandBLUE writes:
YIOTA @1:58
oh..no we won't.
July 26, 2008
6:14 p.m.
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HistoryTeacher writes:
TheGraphite is destroying his/her own soul by failing to remember that Jesus was a pretty tolerant dude. He hung out with lepers and prostitutes, if you think he'd have an issue with someone born as a man who identified as a woman, you might want to brush up on your new testament. Judge not, that ye be not judged.(Matthew: 7:1)
This is a tragedy and makes our state look even more like a place where crazy lives. Posts like Graphite's make it look like a place where hypocrites can cloak their intolerance in bible verse.
Don't try to justify a horrible crime against an innocent person by citing passages of the bible that Jesus told us to ignore (i.e. all of Leviticus).