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trans2006-01-23 04:53 pm
gendercrash.livejournal.com) wrote in trans2006-01-23 04:53 pm
Police Reopen Rita Hester Murder Case
NEWS RELEASE
January 19, 2006
Police Reopen Rita Hester Murder Case
Detective Calls for Information
Media contact:
Nancy Nangeroni, founder, GenderTalk Radio
nancy@gendertalk.com
978-578-6298
The case of murdered transsexual Rita Hester, which inspired the
International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been reopened.
In a phone call to transgender activist and GenderTalk Radio host
Nancy Nangeroni, Detective Wayne Rock of the Boston Police Department
homicide division asked her to put out the word to the transgender
community that the case is under active investigation.
Rock said that the Hester murder case had been reopened because of a
phone call made a year and a half ago by Rita's mother to the Boston
Police Department, asking for them to take another look at her
child's murder. "We have a lot of cold cases, but the ones we reopen
are often chosen because we've received a phone call from someone
asking us to take another look." Rock identified himself as a member
of a team that investigates previously unsolved, or 'cold', murder
cases.
Detective Rock is asking for anyone who knows anything that might be
helpful to make a phone call. "No matter how small or insignificant
that information may be, it's a lead, and we follow up on every lead.
You never know what might break the case, and it's better to go down
a lot of dead ends than to miss something that could solve the case."
Detective Rock also spoke briefly of the local murder of another
transsexual woman last fall, Lisa Daniels. "I can't give specifics,
but that case is being vigorously investigated." He also mentioned
that now-retired Sergeant Spellman, who had performed the original
investigation of the Hester murder without success, had worked "long
and hard" on the case. Rock candidly admits that he is not
particularly knowledgable about the transgender community, but that
he is interested in working with its members to solve this case.
Rita Hester's November 1998 murder led to an outpouring of community
sympathy in a candlelight vigil through the streets of Allston. In
the weeks that followed, national attention was drawn to the case by
a war of words between local media and community activists who
described media coverage as disrespectful to the victim. One year
later, a memorial vigil was held in San Francisco, with Boston and
others joining the following year, and more joining every year since.
In 2005, over 300 locations worldwide observed the Transgender Day of
Remembrance.
Those with any information that might help solve Rita's murder are
encouraged to call 1-800-494-TIPS, or to call the Boston Police
Homicide division at 617-343-4470 and ask for Detective Rock.
--------
GenderTalk Radio is the leading talk radio program about all aspects
of gender, including transgender, LGBT issues, and much more. For
over ten years, it has broadcast weekly to the Greater Boston area on
WMBR at 88.1FM. It currently airs on Saturday nights from 8-10pm, and
can also be heard online anytime at www.gendertalk.com.
GenderTalk is a program of Gender Education & Media, Inc., a
Massachusetts non-profit operated by Gordene O. MacKenzie and Nancy
Nangeroni. MacKenzie is the director of Women's Studies at Merrimack
College; Nangeroni is former executive director of the International
Foundation for Gender Education.
January 19, 2006
Police Reopen Rita Hester Murder Case
Detective Calls for Information
Media contact:
Nancy Nangeroni, founder, GenderTalk Radio
nancy@gendertalk.com
978-578-6298
The case of murdered transsexual Rita Hester, which inspired the
International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been reopened.
In a phone call to transgender activist and GenderTalk Radio host
Nancy Nangeroni, Detective Wayne Rock of the Boston Police Department
homicide division asked her to put out the word to the transgender
community that the case is under active investigation.
Rock said that the Hester murder case had been reopened because of a
phone call made a year and a half ago by Rita's mother to the Boston
Police Department, asking for them to take another look at her
child's murder. "We have a lot of cold cases, but the ones we reopen
are often chosen because we've received a phone call from someone
asking us to take another look." Rock identified himself as a member
of a team that investigates previously unsolved, or 'cold', murder
cases.
Detective Rock is asking for anyone who knows anything that might be
helpful to make a phone call. "No matter how small or insignificant
that information may be, it's a lead, and we follow up on every lead.
You never know what might break the case, and it's better to go down
a lot of dead ends than to miss something that could solve the case."
Detective Rock also spoke briefly of the local murder of another
transsexual woman last fall, Lisa Daniels. "I can't give specifics,
but that case is being vigorously investigated." He also mentioned
that now-retired Sergeant Spellman, who had performed the original
investigation of the Hester murder without success, had worked "long
and hard" on the case. Rock candidly admits that he is not
particularly knowledgable about the transgender community, but that
he is interested in working with its members to solve this case.
Rita Hester's November 1998 murder led to an outpouring of community
sympathy in a candlelight vigil through the streets of Allston. In
the weeks that followed, national attention was drawn to the case by
a war of words between local media and community activists who
described media coverage as disrespectful to the victim. One year
later, a memorial vigil was held in San Francisco, with Boston and
others joining the following year, and more joining every year since.
In 2005, over 300 locations worldwide observed the Transgender Day of
Remembrance.
Those with any information that might help solve Rita's murder are
encouraged to call 1-800-494-TIPS, or to call the Boston Police
Homicide division at 617-343-4470 and ask for Detective Rock.
--------
GenderTalk Radio is the leading talk radio program about all aspects
of gender, including transgender, LGBT issues, and much more. For
over ten years, it has broadcast weekly to the Greater Boston area on
WMBR at 88.1FM. It currently airs on Saturday nights from 8-10pm, and
can also be heard online anytime at www.gendertalk.com.
GenderTalk is a program of Gender Education & Media, Inc., a
Massachusetts non-profit operated by Gordene O. MacKenzie and Nancy
Nangeroni. MacKenzie is the director of Women's Studies at Merrimack
College; Nangeroni is former executive director of the International
Foundation for Gender Education.