Now Puerto Rico has its own Matthew Shepard. It's horrible but maybe it will wake up the police and the populace there to be more sensitive.

"Burned, decapitated, and dismembered"????

This sounds like the most barbaric crime EVER.

What kind of hate do they have over there???

If what is accredited to this police agent really came out of his mouth, we as a nation should force a public outrage at any police department which blames the victim of any crime, especially a horrifying hate filled dismemberment murder and make sure those tasked with investigating this abomination are removed from the case and any law enforcement position while insisting that a team of federal investigators MUST take over all aspects of the case to bring the evil murderer to justice.

Sweet looking guy. Looked like Ingrid Casares.

Where do we write to express our outrage? This is where we need to flood these a-holes with enough emails that their lives are miserable. My nephew, who is a top(don't know fer sure, but love him madly) notch musical director in NY, is an Ire-Rican, or Mcspic as we say amongst family and friends. He came out at 13, and had an easier time with my brothers then with his father's side (PR). Enough is Enough!!! Love the Spanish men madly, papi chulo, but dere's slim pickin's here in Poland.
Here is where we make everyone accountable, don't care how "Mas Macho" you iz. NO MAS!!!!!!

Agree with FAGHAG--Who do we bombard with letters, emails, phone calls, whatever, for the handling of the situation and for the ridiculous comments made by police?

Not to be too bitchee!!!! But here's where we need to examine our conscience. This poor guy WHO IS FUCKIN DEAD gets less posts then fuckin Adam Lambert!!!! Now you tell me what's wrong with the world???? I've been reading this rag for 37 years, and am appalled by how much people have become "STARFUCKERS". Show your outrage you fucking.....whatever. Trying to be somewhat polite. Who really gives a shit about him or Carrie Prejean? Now's the time Musto to go on Countdown and express your rage!

Good article here (in Spanish) -
http://www.primerahora.com/diario/noticia/policia/noticias/solicitan_relevo_de_agente_investigador_en_asesinato_de_joven_homosexual_en_cayey/344524

Google translation -
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.primerahora.com%2Fdiario%2Fnoticia%2Fpolicia%2Fnoticias%2Fsolicitan_relevo_de_agente_investigador_en_asesinato_de_joven_homosexual_en_cayey%2F344524&sl=es&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

The investigating officer, who allegedly made the crude remark is Angel Rodriguez Colon. His superintendant is Figueroa Sancha.

You might do well to get in touch with the Human Rights Foundation -

Fundacion de Derechos Humanos
PO Box 11674
San Juan PR 00910 - 2774
Tel: 787.721.0401.
fundacionderechoshumanos@hotmail.com
Ada Conde, Esq., President

OR -
ACLU of Puerto Rico Union Plaza, Suite 205
416 Avenida Ponce de Leon
San Juan, PR 00918.
Tel: 787-753-8493
PuertoRicoACLU@cs.com

Speaking as a rational person, I think it is completely insane that this murder should be so blindly ignored by national and worldwide media. Supposedly, there is a bill on its way to becoming passed that lists any crime comitted based on sexuality or gender a hate crime. As one of the territories(?) in the United States, this should be publicized so people are aware that these things happen! Why has everyone turned a blind eye to the brutal murder of an innocent young man who was only living the lifestyle he felt right? Had this not been a member of the gay community, I feel that there would have been some more commotion made on Lopez's behalf.

Faghag, stop yelling at Musto.

The entire world media avoided this story and he's the one who posted it!!!

If you're mad at the "Glamberts," well, yes, that's where your rage should be aimed. They are time wasting lunatics--but for an entertainment blog to avoid show biz and celebrities would be rather odd.

Wasn't yelling at him, the last sentence was the only one directed at him. Love his column and I probably wouldn't have known about this unless I read it here. The U.S. looks a bit different from over here in Eastern Europe. I just think it's a shame that so many people are concerned about the trivial crap. My apologies to Michael if he thought my tirade
was aimed at him. Nuff' said.

The officers name is Angel Colon? , yeah,I know,Pot....Kettle...

pedro julio serrano, communications manager with the national gay and lesbian task force, and, presumably, puerto rican, would be a good resource to find out how to get involved. although he's in new york, he's been quoted extensively in the local press. here are his contact details . . .

pedrojulio@pedrojulioserrano.com
pjserrano@thetaskforce.org
646 358 1464

thanks SO much for publicizing this...it's already started to be picked up today online....and thank you even more for not hesitating to provide actual contact info for we the outraged public....
the message needs to be sent to this country/authority/etc that GLBT life is NOT less valuable, not an assumed life/death risk, and that the same rights and protection enjoyed by US young gay people SHOULD be enforced there as well.....could anyone argue against this??? but then enforcing ethical laws is always the rub....esp if the police force are apathetic or antagonistic as well...

i bet my last shekel that whoever is running PR might be a tad concerned that coverage of this might affect the almighty generic American Tourista Buck.
If anyone is writing angry email be sure to include that angle.
boycott inequality ???

it is all sadly too late for this poor dead man, but possibly this one death may tip things over and make life as an openly gay PR resident somehow less dangerous....

Faghag, I didn't think you were dissing me at all.

Thanks for the support.

personal been affected by this, cause i met this young boy when he was a baby.frienship with the mother for years,wich she is devastaded and the family also,Im really worry about this type of crime, cause one of my SON that i raised, it is gay and an love him to death!@!!!just to think about this can happen its terrible,they dont choose to be like that.....please people grown-up!!!

An unemployed 25-year-old-man was arrested this morning and confessed to the murder of Jorge Steven. Police are questioning the confessed murderer as to the degree of violence used in committing the crime. The police suspect that the killer was under the influence of drugs when he killed and quartered Steven. The police officer that made what some consider a negative remark as to the deceased's lifestyle is under administrative investigation. It goes without saying that gay and lesbian groups in PR are asking for the murderer's head on a platter....
From Puerto Rico,
Rafael

It is a horrible way to die, I growed up with Steven mom knew Steven personally we come from a small town where everyone take care eachother and stick togethher as family, always close, I feel her pain like mine, nobody deserve to die by another human hands. Who ever did this to Steven is an animal, my nephew and my best friend r gay and Im very worry about them and all gay community. Everyone has the right to live and be whoever they choose to be. We need to stop this Hate crimes.

It is a horrible crime, but maybe I can understand what this officer declared... allegedly the victim was working as a prostitute, dressed as women... Is common sense that a man that want a female prostitute but find a man instead, will get angry. OBVIOUSLY that is not a justification, but the best way to try to avoid this type of crime is to not expose yourself... what kind of people would you expect to randomly solicit sex? How is that environment safe?

I mean, I cant understand how someone has the stomach to dismember a person and he has to pay for the crime but people need to take more care of themselves... I dont think it was a hate crime, I think this man is a very violent and angry person and in other situation anyone would have ended cut up in pieces.

BTW this Juan Martinez was in jail for domestic violence.

Here is the reference article:
http://www.elnuevodia.com/confiesaasesinatodejovenhomosexual-638687.html

To sign a petition to US Attorney General Eric Holder to urge him to prosecute this as a hate crime, go here:
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6006/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=407

Michael, we are throwing a vigil for Steven Mercado on Sunday evening. The tentative location is the Christopher Street Piers, but the permit is pending.

I would love to have you there. I have many local Latino and LGBT leaders committed to speak, as well as a few local celebrities. Speaker Quinn's office is in contact with me, and I hope to have her there, too. Turnout is expected to be in excess of 1,000 people, and I am coordinating Sunday efforts in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia. And that's only the start.

The vigils will be filmed and photographed, and I will take that footage, edit it, and turn it into a lobbying effort for the resignation of Officer Colon, the application of hate crimes provisions in this case, and the strengthening of hate crimes laws internationally.

Please email me if you would like to be a part of this effort. With 1100 people RSVPing in 24 hours, this story will not only be covered in America to a rightful extent, it will affect real change.

Steven will not have died in vain.

--

For more information, visit:

http://mercado-vigil.tumblr.com
http://bit.ly/4tkNLm (Facebook event)

This is a horrible tragic story. That said I'm wondering where the clues that scream or even hint at a hate crime are. The investigating officer, Angel Rodriguez Colon, is an ignorant pig - but that isn't evidence that the brutal maniac that killed this beautiful young man committed a hate crime in this case.

I say go after Colon and help to bring enlightenment to PR. If the argument for a hate crime in this case is weak it will not serve progress to scream it from the mountaintops.

This is an unbelieveably hate crime and should be addressed has such in a court of law.I am really taken back because I was not aware that P.R. had such a hate towrds the gay community.Whom ever is respomsible for the crime needs to be delt with a swift justice system that does not tolerate such hate. God Rest his soul and my Sympathy goes to his family and dear freinds. JIM From Houston, Texas.It sounds like possible a double standard even exist within the police dept, now thats not a good thing, that too should be addressed by the proper authorities, mainly "the police chief".

Although there's no excuse whatsoever for the killing of an innocent life, "the type of lifestyle" the police investigator may have been eluded to was not that he was gay but his possible role in prostitution. The suspect had apparently offered money to the boy who was out in drag street side that night and the suspect didn't realize at first he was actually a boy. The boy then got into the man's car and onwards went the story. Before we make this boy a world-wide martyr, I think we should look at the specifics of this story and how a lack of personal responsibility may have played into this, from both sides.

@ Jose
Think about it Jose. Even if Officer Colon's mindset was as you suggest - is that sufficient reason to attack, mutilate, murder and decapitate someone? However the culture views prostitutes, particularly male prostitutes, is no excuse for Colon to basically diminish the horror and significance of it and suggest that he was asking for it.

For those who may think so: Puerto Rico is not Jamaica where gays are actively sought out and abused both verbally and physically.
Puerto Ricans, in general, are very tolerant of alternative lifestyles. This young man just happened to have the bad luck to hook up with a psychopath that took his life in a most heinous way.