Gay teen decapitated, dismembered and burned in Puerto Rico 
uploaded by Rhonda J Mangus
Gay teen, nineteen year old George (Jorge) Steven Lopez Mercado, was found November 14th decapitated, dismembered and burned in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
On November 14 the body of a gay 19 year old was found a few miles away from the town in which he was residing in called Caguas. He was a very well known person in the gay community of Puerto Rico, and very loved. He was found on the site of an isolated road in the city of Cayey, he was partially burned, decapitated, and dismembered, both arms, both legs, and the torso.
The police agent that is handling this case said on a public televised statement that "people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen".
According to an iReport by Christopher Pagan, "He was a very well known person in the gay community of Puerto Rico, and very loved."
Pagan said, "Never in the history of Puerto Rico has a murder been classified as a hate crime. Even though we have to follow federal mandates and laws, many of the laws in which are passed in the USA such as Obama's new bill, do not always directly get practiced in Puerto Rico."
Pagan also noted the public remarks from a police investigator for the case that 'people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen'.
According to Pagan, the story has only made local headlines and deserves international coverage.
Puerto Rico's gay rights activist Pedro Julio Serrano responded to the public remarks from the police investigator. Gay blog Towleroad translated Serrano's response:
"It is inconceivable that the investigating officer suggests that the victim deserved his fate, like a woman deserves rape for wearing a short skirt. We demand condemnation of this investigator and demand that Superintendent Figueroa Sancha replace him with someone capable of investigating this case without prejudice."
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (40)
- reply
Oywee (not verified)at 12:11 on November 16th, 2009
Acts like this doesnt matter, there are people in this world who will always be evil and do evil things, it does not help these victims that the news tell their story, what happened here was unfortunate but happens a lot in this world.
at 05:57 on November 17th, 2009
Oywee, just thought I would let you know that a Suspect [was] arrested in murder of gay Puerto Rico teen.
at 12:15 on November 16th, 2009
"...it does not help these victims that the news tell their story,..."
You might want to follow this one, Oywee. Thank you for reading and commenting.
at 12:45 on November 16th, 2009
Ahhh, this is an awful story, but thank you for posting :(
at 12:50 on November 16th, 2009
You are very welcome, smk. Thanks for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation.
at 12:54 on November 16th, 2009
This is disgusting, that a public official in Puerto Rico would make a comment of this nature.
at 13:00 on November 16th, 2009
Thank you. It is very unfortunate, albertacowpoke. However, in addition to what is reported here, primerahora.com reports on those Seeking relief from an investigating officer in the murder of young gay in Cayey (I have already translated the page from Spanish to English via Google page translator).
at 15:55 on November 16th, 2009
As a territory of the USA, the FBI should investigate and take hard legal action against any officials who mad such statements.
at 16:09 on November 16th, 2009
Thank you, YankeeJim. I agree. However, in my own experience, unless someone puts a lot of pressure on the FBI to investigate this, it will not happen and for the simple reason that Mercado is gay. Or, the alternative, it would not be a 'top priority'.
at 12:55 on November 16th, 2009
What an awful story, made worse by the comment of 'this will happen' not even, 'this is something that may happen'.
at 13:03 on November 16th, 2009
Thank you, Amy. It really is awful. However, as I noted in my comment to ACP above, there are those seeking relief from this 'investigating officer'. Let's hope they are successful in their demands.
at 13:21 on November 16th, 2009
Thanks for this story. Very sad.
at 13:22 on November 16th, 2009
You are very welcome, yuls. Yes, it is very sad. Thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation.
at 13:49 on November 16th, 2009
I almost threw up when I read that investigator's comment. Disgusting.
I hope they fire his ass, pardon my English.
edit: or light his ass on fire. Seems fitting in an 'eye-for-an-eye' kind of way. Also, it dawns on me, if the cops are saying "this WILL happen", is it possible that they felt threatened by this well known and loved kid and took matters into their own corrupt hands? Interesting.
- reply
bettermaker (not verified)at 13:52 on November 16th, 2009
People get decapitated. How do we know this boy was decapitated because he was gay? Maybe he owed someone money, and he was a cocaine-user, for example. Maybe it's not a hate-crime, but an organized-crime.
at 13:58 on November 16th, 2009
"How do we know this boy was decapitated because he was gay?
At the present time, there is no evidence that would suggest otherwise.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
at 13:53 on November 16th, 2009
Anything is possible, MBenson82. Thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation.
- reply
Kwame Somburu (not verified)at 14:40 on November 16th, 2009
I, and all those who are truly against oppression, will oppose this atrocity, and any and all deeds of bigotry, committed against any human. The only side that I am on is the side of whom ever is being oppressed. I am totally against all forms of oppression throughout the world, and am only on the side of those who are victims. It is right and proper to only see the side of the various victims of sexism, racism, religious bias, class oppression, economic exploitation, homelessness, and any other type of oppression by those who oppress. The comment made by that stupid, reactionary law officer, is typical of similar comments made for thousands of years by oppressors and their indoctrinated subordinates who support oppression in return for a few crumbs of varying types. If your skin color, gender, religion, or class, is not like the rulers and privileged sectors in society, then it is your fault if negative things happen to you. Crimes like that have been committed for thousands of years against those who were not part of the ruling strata, or privileged members of the dominant group as a result of: religion, skin color, gender, or class. The United States is a prime example of a country that was founded on: Bigotry, Racism, Sexism, Class Oppression, Terrorism, Massacres, Slavery, Massive Robbery of Land from the Indigenous People, Dictatorship (slave masters dictate to slaves; George Washington had a few hundred slaves), Concentration Camps (Slave Plantations and Indian Reservations were concentration camps), Strategic Hamlets in Vietnam (where the U.S. killed about 3 million Vietnamese); I could speak for hours on that topic without notes, but that is enough to write about at this time. I am an African American male born in 1934, and since 1960, I have been involved on the side of the oppressed world wide; regardless of color, gender, religious or non-religious beliefs, and sexual orientation. I am for the Human Race, not the Rat Race.
at 15:35 on November 16th, 2009
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Kwame Somburu.
at 14:43 on November 16th, 2009
Absolutely disgraceful. so very sad for the young man.RIP..........
at 16:11 on November 16th, 2009
Thanks for stopping by jazz. Your comments are always appreciated.
at 14:44 on November 16th, 2009
The police's public stance seems oddly aloof in the face of an unsolved, high-profile homicide.
at 16:03 on November 16th, 2009
That is true, jordan. Further opinion on the consequences of that statement:
"The police investigator, when making a public statement, has the power to affect the community. By choosing to warn the gays in Puerto Rico instead of the murderers he is colluding with the murderers. He had the power to reinforce that these actions were illegal and justice would be served in this torture and murder hate crime case. He instead chose to warn other gays in Puerto Rico that this should be expected as though citizens who are gay are not protected under the law."
at 14:52 on November 16th, 2009
I wonder if he was a gay prostitute?
I am not giving an excuse for the police officials comment but trying to clarify why he had said it.
It's a horrendous crime a very gruesome murder
at 15:57 on November 16th, 2009
Thank you, Babel-Fish.
"I am not giving an excuse for the police officials comment but trying to clarify why he had said it"
See my response to jordan. Thanks!
at 19:14 on November 16th, 2009
Babel-Fish, comments from reddit world news suggests that the officer was referencing prostitution, not sexual orientation (directly). Either way, it was wrong of him and, IMO, he definitely needs to be removed the case.
at 14:56 on November 16th, 2009
I'd like to hear the professor at Purdue University comment on this one.
at 16:15 on November 16th, 2009
He simply can't. Got too much on his plate, fending off charges from the Bright Brigade.
at 02:48 on November 17th, 2009
He's got that liberal tenure. He should be able to at least give us a small economic reason for this horrible crime. No?
at 16:02 on November 16th, 2009
It never ceases to amaze me how GLBT youth are left out of the conversation. Thank you, nanute.