Agnes Torres Hernández Sulca
Age 35 (born 23 Mar 1983)10 Mar 2012
Atlixco, Puebla (Mexico)
Decapitated
TDoR list ref: tgeu/Mar-2012/Agnes Torres
Agnes' body was found decapitated in a ravine near a highway. It is thought that before being killed she had been beaten and burned on one arm and the side of the chest.
Agnes was a psychologist, lecturer and activist for LGBT+ rights. Her murder caused an outcry which led to reform of the Social Defense Code and the drafting of "Agnes Law" - a reform to article 751 of the Code of Civil Procedures which sought to give legal certainty to the transgender community, as well as extending the guarantees of legal protection.
The organization "Vida Plena de Puebla" asked in its statement that the murder of Agnes Torres be solved "in a way as if they had killed the wife or mother or the daughter of a governor, a legislator or a prosecutor."
"We condemn this crime against her: the academic, the psychologist, the educator, the model and the activist for the Human Rights of women in general and of all sexual diversity," the rights organization said in a statement.
"We also express that we are dismayed, hurt, indignant, and sad for the crime and feel powerless because once again a valuable person has succumbed to the most brutal gender violence. Learned violence, fomented violence, violence against a woman. In this case, a transgender woman".
"We demand from the authorities the immediate investigation of the murder of Agnes Torres Sulca. We do not want to feel helpless, in abandonment and legal helplessness. The authorities and the institutions have to take action on the matter once and for all. Enough of impunity, of homophobicides, transfobicides and lesbophobicides. Until when Mr. Governor of Puebla? Until when Mr. Legislators? Until when Mr. Procurator of Justice?".
Six years after her death Marco Antonio Berra Spezzia and Luis Fernando Bueno Mozzoco were both sentenced to 35 years in prison, and Agustín Flores Zechinelliy to 23.
The investigations undertaken by the Attorney General's Office indicated that Agnes was murdered by five men she knew and who, to assault her, deceived her by inviting her to a party.
Once Agnes arrived at the meeting place, she was subdued, killed and her body abandoned in a ravine. Subsequently, the perpetrators stole his car, burned it and abandoned it in the streets of Puebla. Thanks to the investigations carried out by the Office of Kidnapping and High Impact Crimes (FISDAI), those responsible were identified, who were apprehended in Yucatan, a state they escaped after murdering the transgender woman.
One of the murderers is a minor, for which he was sentenced to three years of internment and psychological treatment, after serving his sentence was released in 2015; while another of those responsible remains a fugitive from justice.
Agnes was a leading psychologist, lecturer and human rights advocate who fought for legal recognition of the gender identity of transgender people. As a result of her death, the Puebla Congress approved a reform of the Social Defense Code in which the "hate crime" was incorporated as an aggravating factor in homicides based on prejudice towards the victim's gender identity or sexual orientation.
Two years after her murder photographer Jaime Romay published a collection of previously unpublished photos of her titled "Dear Agnes":
Dear Agnes, Here are the pictures I took and I could never teach you, you were very pretty, I have no doubt that in the end you became what you wanted to be, a transgender woman, a psychologist by profession and sex educator, a specialist in neuroscience and identity, a lecturer, model and activist of the human rights of women and sexual diversity, in addition, a very dear friend.
Two years have passed since your departure and almost three since this photo session that I would have loved to show you personally but here is the assignment so that wherever you are you know that we miss your presence, we admire your beauty and honor your memory.
When I took these photos in March of 2011, a year before her death, I perceived in her a very special energy, I discovered a sensitive and wise person, she looked great, she spoke with emotion about her projects and she promoted with conviction her struggle, she seemed Motivated, we would never have imagined what destiny would bring and although we were not close friends, I can say that it was a pleasure to have met this great woman, this strong warrior, this being of light that undoubtedly became Mexico and the world, in a reference of the struggle for the rights of minorities.
Rest in peace, Agnes Torres Sulca.
One of Agnes' four killers were sentenced to 45 years in prison, the others to 35 years, 35 years and 23 years and 4 months.
One of the four responsible for the murder of the transgender activist Agnes Torres obtained a sentence of 45 years in prison, reported this Thursday the Undersecretary of Public Security, Ricardo Mejía.
This is Jorge 'N', who was accused of the crimes of qualified homicide and aggravated vehicle theft. The Attorney General of the State of Puebla confirmed the participation of the sentenced person in the deprivation of life of Agnes Torres on March 10, 2012 in the town of Chipilo, in Puebla, in addition to having stolen her vehicle.
Through evidence, the institution determined that the victim was summoned under false pretenses by Jorge 'N', at a ranch in the region where she was surprised by him and his accomplices identified as Agustín 'N', Marco Antonio 'N' and Luis Fernando. 'N', who beat her and suffocated her before abandoning her body in a ravine known as Xaxocuapatle that belongs to the town of San Jerónimo Coyula, Atlixco.
For these events, in 2018 a criminal judge sentenced Marco Antonio 'N' and Luis Fernando 'N' to 35 years in prison while Agustín 'N' was sentenced to 23 years and 4 months in prison. In addition to the new sentence issued against the fourth collaborator of the homicide, he must pay a fine of 17 thousand 891 pesos for reparation of material damage; 59 thousand 080 pesos for non-pecuniary damage; 177,240 pesos for death compensation, as well as 110,000 pesos for vehicle theft.
The Congress of Puebla approved in February 2021, in general and in particular, a ruling known as the 'Agnes Law', which allows the recognition of the right to self-perceived gender identity of people.
'Agnes Law' takes its name from the researcher and trans activist Agnes Torres, who worked for the legal recognition of gender identity in the country, and was murdered in March 2012 in Atlixco, Puebla. This law is part of the demands of feminist collectives that took over the Puebla Congress at the end of 2020, and left the place after agreeing with the deputies that this initiative would be discussed, as well as one regarding the legal interruption of pregnancy .
https://www.angulo7.com.mx/2022/07/14/destaca-federacion-sentencia-de-45-anos-al-asesino-de-agnes/
https://www.telediario.mx/comu=nidad/conmemoran-natalicio-agnes-torres-activista-transgenero-puebla
https://www.eluniversalpuebla.com.mx/estado/10-anos-sin-agnes-torres
https://www.vice.com/es_latam/article/9b49gz/querida-agnes
TvT partner organisation Centro de Apoyo a las Identidades Trans: SexenioPuebla Online. 11.03.2012
https://planettransgender.com/trans-advocate-agnes-torres-legacy-lives-on-7-years-later/
https://www.proceso.com.mx/300753/asesinan-a-agnes-torres-activista-transgenero
http://wildgender.com/activist-agnes-torres-found-dead-in-puebla-mexico/1828
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agn%C3%A9s_Torres_Hern%C3%A1ndez
