By Maru Ludueña. Her family and friends had been desperately searching for her for over two months. Cynthia Moreira, a 25-year-old trans woman, was last seen on February 14 in San Miguel de Tucumán. Yesterday, the courts confirmed that the DNA of a mutilated body found on February 22 in the backyard of a house in the Villa Alem neighborhood, in the southern part of the provincial capital, belongs to her. “Her closest circle is devastated. Despite their grief, they have already begun organizing to demand an investigation, not only into this hate crime but also into the justice system's delays in identifying her,” said a source close to the family who requested anonymity. At the moment, there are no arrests in the case. Her family has met with lawyers to file a lawsuit.

[READ MORE: Dismembered body found: authorities investigate whether it belongs to a young trans woman ]

The discovery

The hours and days following a crime are crucial to any investigation. The discovery of that dismembered body in February occurred when Cynthia had been missing for just over a week. That's why the family is outraged. That summer day, the homeowners—who didn't live there—found it in the backyard, in an area of ​​tall grass, and notified the police. "The body was in an advanced state of decomposition and partially dismembered," sources from the investigation told Presentes at the time. The case was assigned to the Seventh District Prosecutor's Office, headed by Arnaldo Suasnábar. Family members then tried to identify the body. It was unrecognizable. "Only DNA can confirm if it's my sister," one of her sisters said after being called to identify the body. Days before that discovery, a friend of the victim had already filed a missing person report for Cynthia at Police Station 2. The two young women shared the streets of San Miguel, working as sex workers due to a lack of inclusion policies in a province where There was no political agreement to even discuss the trans job quota.

Relationship to other attacks

Another line of investigation opened after the discovery of the body in February aimed to determine if there was any connection to the attack suffered by Natasha Banegas, a 22-year-old trans woman, who was beaten one day and shot another by two men on a motorcycle at the corner of Crisóstomo Álvarez and Moreno streets, part of the so-called "red-light district" in San Miguel de Tucumán. The same area where Cynthia frequented.

[READ MORE: Trans woman shot in Tucumán: it's the second attack she suffered in 72 hours]

Some local media outlets were reporting territorial conflicts among trans women at the time. Activists from Libertad y Orgullo Trans Organizadxs (LOTO), who know the area well, refuted this to Presentes. “The media is giving out false information. They continue to stigmatize trans women, portraying them as violent, drug addicts, and criminals. Look what happened with Flor de V. Some media outlets continue to promote hatred and transphobia, whether consciously or not, and the State doesn't fine or punish them,” said activists from the organization. “We have laws that, in theory, protect us, but in practice, dignified treatment is still lacking for trans people in the health, education, and justice systems. In Tucumán, the trans employment quota was shelved, as if nothing had happened.”

Tucumán, one of the most violent provinces

Tucumán is one of the most violent provinces in Argentina for trans people. LOTO emerged after the transvesticide of Ayelén Gómez, perpetrated in August 2017. Her brutally murdered body was found under the stands of the Lawn Tennis Club before a rugby match. Some time ago, Ayelén had reported police officers for raping her. In January in Tucumán, Another trans woman was brutally murdered: Lourdes Reinoso.

[READ ALSO: Tucumán: A young trans woman and her great-aunt were murdered]]

In response to the wave of violence, trans people, LOTO and other organizations marched on February 7 to say Enough of transvesticide and transfemicide, demand compliance with the Gender Identity Law, and call for a trans employment quota law.

[#Tucumán “We demand justice for all: not one more trans woman, we want to live”]]

A month later, they also marched on March 8th with the slogan "Not One More Trans Woman Lost." By then, Cynthia's friends and family were still desperately searching for her.

[READ MORE: March in Tucumán: “Without trans women there is no Ni Una Menos”]]

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