Nikki Janelle Enriquez
Age 2814 Sep 2018
Laredo, Texas (USA)
Shot
TDoR list ref: tgeu/15-Sep-2018/Nikki Enriquez
Nikki was one of four women killed by US Border Patrol supervisor Juan David Ortiz during a killing spree in early September.
Her body was found dumped behind some gravel pits alongside the I-35 highway.
He was arrested early on Saturday 15th September after Erika Pena (who very nearly became another victim) managed to escape and raise the alarm two days earlier . After her escape he went on to kill twice more before being apprehended.
Ortiz has been charged with the murder of Nikki and three cisgender women (Melissa Ramirez, Claudine Anne Luera, and one victim who has not yet been unidentified) as well as kidnapping Erika. His trial is scheduled for April 2022.
The US authorities did not initially release Nikki's name, nationality or when she died, but in death the state misgendered her by referring to her as "John Doe". Juan David Ortiz may have ended her life, but the US authorities then spat on her grave in a way which is all too familiar to trans folks everywhere.
She [Nikki] is the second Latina trans Texan we have lost this year, the third trans Latina in the US murdered this year, and the 21st trans person this year violently taken from us.
And once again, she is the tenth trans person under age 30 we've violently lost in 2018 and the 18th trans person of color. 17 of those trans POC have ben trans women. We have also had one Black trans man killed this year who also ID as gender non conforming.
When will the lives of Latinx trans folks become just as valuable to cis Latinx folks? When will we see an end to the murders of trans people, no matter what their ethnic background?
Rest in power and peace, Nikki You can begin to rest soundly knowing that the person who killed you is in custody. Your trans family and all who loved you in the Lone Star State and around the country will be watching and waiting to see if the Webb County DA handles his business and you get justice for the abrupt end of your all too brief life.
The Advocate and NY Times, 15.09.2018
https://www.elmanana.com/seleccionan-jurado-para-el-juicio-de-asesino-serial/5414164
https://elmanana.com.mx/asesino-multiple-juan-david-ortiz-laredo-texas/
https://elmanana.com.mx/a-dos-anos-de-multihomicidios/
https://elmanana.com.mx/sin-fijar-la-fecha-de-juicio-de-ortiz/
https://elmanana.com.mx/de-dia-agente-y-por-la-noche-asesino-serial/
https://elmanana.com.mx/solicita-ex-agente-reduccion-de-fianza/
https://transgriot.blogspot.com/2018/09/number-21-rest-in-power-and-peace-nikki.html
https://planettransgender.com/juan-david-ortiz-larado/
https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/transgender-woman-killed-border-patrol-agent
https://www.them.us/story/border-patrol-agent-trans-killing
http://www.losangelesblade.com/2018/09/17/trans-woman-killed-by-texas-border-agent/
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/15/us/laredo-border-patrol-agent-arrested.html
https://wtop.com/national/2018/09/the-latest-arrested-agent-described-as-serial-killer/
