GREELEY, Colo.—Authorities say the slaying of a teenage Colorado man who had been living as a woman may be a hate crime.
Police on Wednesday arrested Ray Andrade, 31, of Thornton in the death of Angie Zapata, whose beaten body was found in her Greeley apartment July 17. Zapata, 18, originally was known as Justin David Zapata, and her family had speculated her killing was a hate crime.
Greeley investigators said Wednesday that Andrade told them he struck Zapata in the head three times with a fire extinguisher after discovering Zapata was a man.
Andrade met Zapata through an online Web site, police said. The two spent at least two days together, and the slaying occurred when Andrade became suspicious about Zapata’s gender, confronted Zapata and grabbed Zapata’s genital area, police said, citing an interview with Andrade early Wednesday.
Police arrested Andrade on Wednesday morning after a noise complaint.
Andrade faces several charges, including second-degree murder and motor-vehicle theft. Zapata’s car was missing when her sister discovered her body in the apartment in Greeley, about 50 miles north of Denver.
Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck said he was considering filing a first-degree murder charge and an additional charge of a hate crime, which is a felony.
