By Soledad Mizerniuk and Victoria Rodríguez, from Santa Fe. Photos courtesy of Vanesa Zabala's family and friends. The trial for the transphobic murder of Vanesa Zabala, killed on March 29, 2013, in Reconquista, in the north of Santa Fe province, began yesterday. The four defendants pleaded not guilty before the Sentencing Court in the city of Vera. The court expects to issue a ruling on December 7. This landmark case nearly collapsed and could set a precedent for the pursuit of justice in other transphobic murders. Four years and eight months have passed since Vanesa Zabala was murdered and her body dumped in the tall grass beside the access road to Reconquista—300 kilometers north of the city of Santa Fe. Yesterday, the public trial began against José Daniel Villasboas, Ana Virginia Abasto, José Luis Petroni, and Gustavo Daniel Vallejos.

READ MORE: Vanesa Zabala's transphobic murder: four sisters seek justice

Vanesa's face filled the courtroom, emblazoned on the t-shirts and banners of her loved ones. Seven family members and activists from various organizations supporting the call for justice arrived early in the morning, braving the persistent rain, at the Vera Sentencing Court, 40 kilometers from the crime scene. "It was a hate crime" The prosecution presented the case for the crime of aggravated homicide due to cruelty, treachery, the involvement of minors, the premeditated participation of two or more people, and for hatred of gender identity (Article 80, sections 2, 4 and 6, 45 quater and 45 of the Penal Code). Federico Lombardi, the Zabala family's lawyer, remarked: “The appropriate concept for me is transvesticide“Because it was a hate crime.” Eliana Ibarra, a leader of the Justice for Vanesa Zabala Front, alluded to the same concept. “The plaintiff’s lawyer mentioned the concept of transvesticide, which, although it doesn’t exist in the Penal Code, is a clear indication of violence against the LGBT community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender),” she told Present.

A landmark case

Regarding the legal precedent this case may set, he explained: “This is a landmark case for northern Santa Fe and for the entire country. That's why This could be an important precedent for defining the use of the legal concepts of transvesticide and transfemicide, a struggle being waged by the LGBT movement, and which could be useful for cases that have not yet gone to trial, such as those of Diana Sacayán or Laura Moyano.”.

READ MORE: Two years without Diana Sacayán: "She continues to be a beacon"

There are four defendants

The four defendants arrived at the trial as free men and were accompanied only by their lawyers. No family or friends were present to offer them support. At the start of the hearing, they all agreed that their lives had been “ruined” because they had spent three years in prison. The first testimonies of eight police officers were then heard. These were the officers who arrived on March 29, 2013, in the area known as El Triángulo and found Vanesa lying among weeds nearly a meter high.

Eight police officers testified

While they didn't provide many details about the condition of the trans woman, as those testimonies will be requested from the forensic doctors who examined the body, they did describe the operation carried out at the scene. They also gave their account of how the evidence that led to the arrest of the four defendants and two other individuals, who were minors at the time and are suspected of involvement in the transphobic murder, was preserved. From 11 a.m. until after 5 p.m., the following officers gave statements: Chief Officer Maximiliano Mayal, Sub-Officer Rubén Reynoso, Sub-Officer Cristian Martínez, Commissioner Cristian Soto, Commissioner Inspector Luis Aguirre, Commissioner Soledad Gómez, Sub-Officer Amilcar Ochoa, and Sub-Officer Patricia Pérez. “They make fun of us” After hearing the testimonies on the first day of the trial for the transphobic murder of her sister, Sandra Zabala didn't hide her tears or her hope. “I'm sure justice will be served. I have a feeling it will be. Thanks to the struggle and everyone who supported me, we managed to get the trial started, and we're going to keep fighting until the very end,” she affirmed. Villasboas, Abasto, Petroni, and Vallejos didn't enter the courthouse through the main entrance, so Sandra couldn't look them in the face. Since the family members were placed in a separate room to follow the trial on a screen, they also didn't see Sandra's reaction when the defendants told the court they were innocent and that their lives were "ruined." "It hurt so much to hear them say they're innocent... Their audacity is infuriating. They say we ruined their lives; it's like they're mocking us. They're anything but innocent," she said, her voice thick with emotion. Sandra believes this is the beginning of the end. She awaits the verdict with faith and trusts that Vanesa will be able to rest in peace when those responsible for her crime "receive the maximum penalty."

Years of struggle

For Vanesa's family, her friends, and the organizations that supported her demand for justice, these have not been easy years. Delays in establishing a court capable of conducting the trial led to the defendants' release because the legally mandated time limits had expired. The case nearly collapsed during the reform of the penal system in the province. The sisters had been denied the possibility of becoming plaintiffs“The participation of the plaintiffs was debated for an entire year, until they finally accepted us,” Lombardi emphasized. “Defense attorney Enzo Masat (José Luis Petroni’s private lawyer) also delayed the proceedings by requesting that the defendants be re-evaluated.” After the long struggle to reach this point, in a dialogue with Present The plaintiff's lawyer stated that "the outcome of the first round of testimonies is positive."

"An outstanding debt of the Santa Fe State"

From the Justice for Vanesa Zabala Front, Ibarra said: “It comforts us to see the family's relief at finally reaching the trial. This was an outstanding debt of the Santa Fe government, given all the obstacles along the way. We had to fight many battles. There is some weariness, but this situation brings us relief and comfort as activists and militants because we know that forging alliances between organizations and taking to the streets bears fruit.” The family says their fight wasn't just for Vanesa. “They (the murderers) can't walk among us like nothing happened. Because just like they did to Vanesa, they can do it again. I don't want them to ruin another family like they did to ours,” Sandra emphasized. When she recounts these years without her sister, her voice breaks, but she doesn't stop talking. She wants to keep her memory alive. “To this day, our hearts are empty. Our family isn't the same. Only we know what we suffered, and that's why I don't want it to happen to another family. I will never forget her, because Vanesa was our joy.”

How is the trial progressing?

The trial will continue tomorrow with the testimonies of the forensic doctors. Sandra Zabala, Vanesa's sister, is expected to testify on Monday. The verdict is expected on December 7. In between, approximately 50 witnesses from both sides will appear before the court.