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Ayelén Gómez was murdered, and her body was found under a bleacher at the Lawn Tennis Club. The autopsy confirmed that she died of asphyxiation. Gatherings are being organized in Tucumán and Buenos Aires to demand justice and #StopTransMurders.

By Gabriela Cruz, from San Miguel de Tucumán

“The initial forensic results indicate that she died of asphyxiation,” Adriana Reinoso Cuello, the acting prosecutor of the Tucumán Prosecutor's Office No. X, in charge of the investigation into the transphobic murder of Ayelén Gómez, confirmed to Presentes . This same information was corroborated to this media outlet by Commissioner Hugo Cabezas, head of the Homicide Division. “The body also shows post-mortem that were possibly caused by dragging the body to hide it,” the commissioner added.

Prosecutor Reinoso Cuello is waiting for the case file to reach her to obtain more information regarding the cause of Ayelén's death. However, she mentions one of the lines of investigation: "Apparently, the initial cause appears to be a fight." Commissioner Cabezas confirms this, stating that the lines of investigation point to a confrontation with a client, with other addicts, or with other transgender women.

For now, the charge is "simple homicide," but depending on the results of other ongoing investigations, this could change if aggravating circumstances are found. During the course of the investigation, Ayelén's friends and colleagues are expected to testify. Therefore, a team of psychologists from the María de los Ángeles Verón Foundation, created and chaired by Susana Trimarco, the mother of Marita Verón (who was kidnapped and disappeared in San Miguel de Tucumán 15 years ago), will be involved. This is to ensure that those who provide testimony do not feel persecuted or violated.

So far, there are no strong hypotheses about how the murder occurred and what happened before the Lawn Tennis Club employees found the lifeless body lying under a grandstand on Saturday in San Miguel de Tucumán.

[READ MORE: Transvesticide in Tucumán: Ayelén Gómez was found at the Lawn Tennis Club]

In that same city, on April 19, 2012, she had been arrested, raped, and abused by two police officers from the second precinct of San Miguel. Ayelén reported these events as soon as she regained her freedom.

Shortly after reporting the incident to the police, she moved to the province of Buenos Aires. She had returned to live in her home province a few months earlier. She was originally from Ranchillos, a town southeast of the capital of Tucumán.

“This tragic case, which deeply saddens us, must be brought to light so that we understand the experiences of our trans sisters,” Fabián Vera del Barco, a leader at the Open Doors Educational Center (CETRANS), told this publication. Ayelén had planned to continue her studies there.

Justice for Ayelén in Tucumán and CABA

CETRANS has called a meeting this afternoon at 6:00 PM with social organizations to organize a march demanding justice for Ayelén. “What we seek is to create the conditions to reverse what is presented as the destiny for trans women, and we believe that the way forward is to unite and create spaces for struggle and solidarity,” added Vera del Barco, who extends the invitation to anyone who wants to join. The meeting will be held at CETRANS, Brigido Teran 320, at the Virgen de la Merced Vocational Training School.

In Buenos Aires, trans and travesti activists are also calling for a gathering: on Thursday, August 17th, starting at 3:30 PM, they will join the march of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo. Afterward, they will hold a vigil demanding justice for Ayelén .

What we know so far

The last known information about Ayelén is that her mother, upon identifying the body, stated that she left home on Friday to meet with a person named Marcela. In her statement, Marcela affirmed that they were together until Friday night.

Anyone with information or details that could help clarify the transvesticide is asked to contact the Prosecutor's Office X of San Miguel de Tucumán, Sarmiento Avenue 431, first floor.