"Angie was a great person," said friend Leticia Portillo to the Denver Post. "Who in their right mind would do this to someone?"

Andrade met Angie, née Justin, on social networking site MocoSpace, and on July 15 they had one sexual encounter at Angie's apartment in Greeley, Colorado. On discovering her birth gender the day after, Andrade beat her unconscious with a fire extinguisher. When "it," as he called her, began to sit up, he hit her again before covering her with a blanket, stealing her purse, keys and phone, and driving her car back to his home in Thornton, a suburb of Denver. Angie's sister discovered her body on July 17, and Thornton police found Andrade and arrested him on July 30.

Andrade, whom District Attorney Ken Buck has promised to try aggressively, stood before a judge at Weld County District Court on Wednesday to be advised of his rights as Zapata's friends and family looked on. Charges against him include first-degree murder with a hate crime enhancement, identity theft and motor vehicle theft. It will be the first murder tried as a hate crime in the county.

Andrade is being held without bail pending another hearing on August 26. If convicted on the murder charge, he faces a minimum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

On Saturday, August 9, a vigil in remembrance and celebration of Angie Zapata will be held at the Garden Theater at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley (Map). Among the speakers will be national transgender advocate Donna Rose. For more information, contact the Lambda Community Center at (970) 221-3247.

"Angie was only 18 years old. She had a bright future ahead of her and was torn down before she ever got to live it. She was far too young to die," said Nicole Hurt, Northern Colorado Community Organizer for the Colorado Progressive Coalition. "The Greeley community along with many others in Colorado are pulling together to send a clear, strong message that this kind of outrageous violence will not be tolerated here.

"Murdering someone simply because that person is different is devastating. We are saddened and angry that this type of hate exists in our community."

A memorial fund has also been established. Contributions can be made in person at Academy Bank inside Wal-Mart, 60 W. Bromley Lane, in Brighton, Colorado, or checks payable to Monica Murquia can be sent by post to the Colorado Anti-Violence Project at P.O. Box 181085, Denver, CO 80218.

For video and more information on the Angie Zapata case, see:
Colorado 'transgender panic' killing to be tried as hate crime