Colorado Activists Closely Monitoring Police Probe of Death of 16-Year-Old, Says HRC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 5, 2001

WASHINGTON — The Human Rights Campaign today expressed condolences for the family and friends of openly gay high school student Fred Martinez Jr., 16, whose bludgeoned body was found in a canyon near Cortez, Colo., a town in the southwest corner of the state. Police detectives have not ruled out hate as a motive in the murder, and local LGBT activists are closely monitoring the case, according to HRC.

“Our hearts go out to those who knew and loved Fred Martinez,” said HRC National Field Director Seth Kilbourn. “It is reassuring that local authorities are weighing all possible motives, including hate, and HRC will continue to communicate with local activists who are closely watching the investigation.” Cortez is located near where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona meet.

“The Four Corners' lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community joins with the citizens of Cortez in mourning the loss of Fred Martinez and offer to his family, friends and community our condolences,” said Kathy Keyes, chairwoman of the board of directors of the Four Corners Gay and Lesbian Alliance for Diversity.

Martinez's bludgeoned body was found June 21in a canyon south of Cortez. Investigators, who say they have found no motive for the murder, are investigating whether the Navajo teen’s race or sexual orientation may have played a role in his death. Martinez was frequently harassed because of his feminine appearance, according to The Durango Herald. The constant taunts caused him to transfer to an adult-education school program in February.

“He came to the adult ed [program] because it was a learning environment where he felt safer,” Barbara Burroughs, one of his teachers, told the Herald. “He was being harassed, and you don’t want to go to school every day if you’re going to be harassed.”

Lt. Kalvin Boggs of the Montezuma County Sheriff's Office told the newspaper that eight detectives are investigating the murder. A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest.

In 1999, there were more than 4,000 reported hate crimes based on race, more than 1,400 hate crimes based on religion, 1,300 hate crimes based on sexual orientation, 830 hate crimes based on ethnicity and 19 hate crimes based on disability, according to the most recent FBI statistics. Colorado is one of eighteen states that do not include sexual orientation in their hate crimes law. It is also one of 46 states that do not include gender identity. Five states have no hate crimes law.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

The Human Rights Campaign
http://www.hrc.org