TDoR 1994 / 1994 / September / 17 / Vanessa Comesana


Vanessa Comesana

Age 27

17 Sep 1994
Miami, Florida (USA)
Strangled

TDoR list ref: tdor.info/17 Sep 1994/Lazaro Comesana

Vanessa Comesana
Vanessa Comesana [photo: www.newspapers.com]

Lazaro's was the first of several sex workers who were murdered in the Miama area in late 1994 and early 1995 by Rory Enrique Conde. Conde was subsequently sentenced to death.

Lazaro Comesana, 27, was the first of several [sex workers] who were murdered in the Miama area in late 1994 and early 1995. Her body was found 17 September 1994.The serial killer, Rory Enrique Conde, dubbed 'the Tamiami Strangler' claimed during his trial that he had snapped when he discovered Lazaro Comesana was transgender.

A total of six women are believed to have been killed before he was finally caught when a woman successfully attracted attention from neighbors after he tied her up and assaulted her. The 'trans panic' defense failed to prevent his conviction and sentencing to death for the murder of Rhonda Dunn. He later pleaded guilty to additional five murders in exchange for having the death penalty converted to five consecutive life sentences without parole if he succeeds in getting the death penalty overturned.

Note that the date of Lararo's death is unknown; the date given on this page is when her body was found.

https://trans.fyi/resources/violence/incidents/archive/serial-prostitute-killer-sentenced-for-5-more-slayings

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/133366261/lazaro-comesana

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10_JeZ7LEIRhvewTCoL5mVkH6MQJzf7fSXl4-P6QJ0v0/edit#gid=0

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-murder-of-four-sex-work/143307517/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-murder-of-transgender-w/143307788/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-murder-of-3-sex-workers/143307931/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-murder-of-transgender-w/143307684/

Report added: 17 Feb 2019. Last updated: 3 Apr 2024

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This site contains reports of violence against transgender people, and links to detailed reports which contain graphic imagery.

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