Remembering Our Dead

Cucuteña Barón Contreras

Cucuteña was attacked with punches and then stabbed by two passersby after complementing them as they walked by. She died at the scene.

Police later apprehended Deiber Augusto Acosta Espitia, 22, and Pedro Andrés Rivera Therán, 18, who alleged that trans women had recently tried to rob them.

An untimely or perhaps misinterpreted compliment was the cause of the murder of [deadname] Barón Contreras, a trans woman who was known in downtown Barranquilla as "La Cucuteña".

According to a witness, two men attacked the transgender woman with a knife at Carrera 41 with Calle 45 in the Rosario neighborhood after they heard expressions of verbal seduction from a group where the victim was.

He added that the subjects upon hearing the compliment became upset and without exchanging words began to hit another of those present in the group. After several punches, they began to demand that he point out who had complimented them.

However, "La Cucuteña" assumed responsibility for the expressions and the individuals savagely attacked her.

In a quick police operation a few blocks from the place, the capture of Deiber Augusto Acosta Espitia, 22 years old; and Pedro Andrés Rivera Therán, 18, who assured that trans women had tried to rob them in days past.

TvT partner organisation Centro de Apoyo a las Identidades Trans & El Heraldo, 08.08.2016

https://caracol.com.co/emisora/2016/08/08/barranquilla/1470656098_466131.html

https://www.elheraldo.co/judicial/mi-hermano-lo-mataron-solo-por-ser-gay-296635

https://www.aldia.co/mundo-serio/por-un-piropo-habrian-asesinado-un-miembro-de-la-comunidad-lgbti

Report added: 18 Sep 2018. Last updated: 7 Mar 2026

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