Murder of Daniel Zamudio

Daniel Mauricio Zamudio Vera (3 August 1987 – 27 March 2012) was a Chilean man whose murder in 2012 became a symbol against homophobic violence in Chile. Zamudio, who identified as gay, was beaten and tortured for several hours in San Borja Park in downtown Santiago on March 2, 2012, by four attackers linked to a neo-Nazi gang.[2] His death and the subsequent media attention helped accelerate legislation against discrimination and opened doors to greater acceptance and tolerance of differences in the conservative country.[3]

Murder of Daniel Zamudio
Victim Daniel Zamudio
LocationSantiago, Chile
DateAttack:
2 March 2012 (2012-03-02)
Zamudio's Death:
27 March 2012 (2012-03-27)
Attack type
Torture murder, hate crime, anti-gay attack, beating, slashing, burning
WeaponsVarious
VictimDaniel Mauricio Zamudio Vera, aged 24
Perpetrators
  • Patricio Ahumada Garay
  • Alejandro Angulo Tapia
  • Raúl López Fuentes
  • Fabián Mora Mora
MotiveHomophobia/gayphobia
VerdictAll four guilty
ConvictionsFirst-degree murder
SentenceAhumada:
Life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 20 years[1]
Angulo and López:
15 years in prison
Mora:
7 years in prison

In 2013, all four perpetrators were found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 7 years to life.[4]

Murder

Zamudio's parents have stated that he was previously subjected to violence due to his sexual orientation.[5] On March 2, 2012, Zamudio was brutally attacked and beaten for six hours until he lost consciousness.[2] He was taken to the Hospital Emergency Public Assistance in Santiago, where he was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, a broken leg, and cuts on his stomach that resembled swastikas made with broken bottles.[2] Additionally, cigarette burns were found on various parts of his body.[6] Zamudio died from his injuries 25 days later at the same hospital in Santiago.[7][8]

Aftermath

Following Zamudio's death, Chilean President Sebastián Piñera urged parliament to speed up the adoption of a hate crimes law that had been stagnant for over seven years. The law aimed to prohibit discrimination based on "race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, appearance, or disability."[2] However, adoption of the law faced opposition from several churches, who argued that it could lead to the legalization of same-sex marriage.[3] Despite this, the law was passed in July 2012, signed by the President, and entered into force.[9]

Murder trial

On October 17, 2013, all four men were found guilty of first-degree murder. Judge Juan Carlos Urrutia declared Patricio Ahumada Garay, Alejandro Angulo Tapia, Raúl López Fuentes, and Fabian Mora Mora guilty of a crime of "extreme cruelty" and "total disrespect for human life."[10] On October 28, Ahumada was sentenced to life imprisonment, which was met with cheers from the courtroom. Angulo and López received 15-year sentences, while Mora, the youngest of the group, was sentenced to 7 years due to his cooperation with investigators and lack of prior convictions.[11][12][13]

See also

References
  1. "Four neo-Nazis sentenced for killing gay Chilean".
  2. The Week, "International News: Hate Crime Punished," 8 November 2013.
  3. "Chile's hate crime law passes after seven years". BBC. 10 May 2012. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  4. "Chile: condenas de siete años a cadena perpetua por crimen de Zamudio". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). 28 October 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  5. "Chileans voice outrage after gay man brutally beaten". BBC. 7 March 2012. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  6. "Muere Daniel Zamudio víctima y símbolo de la violencia homofóbica". Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  7. "Des milliers de Chiliens aux funérailles de Daniel, jeune gay battu à mort". Têtu. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  8. "Chile calls for a new law after gay attack". Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  9. "Chile's Pinera signs hate-crime law after alleged neo-Nazis kill gay youth in brutal murder". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  10. "Daniel Zamudio Verdict: 4 Chilean Men Found Guilty In Gay Man's Murder". The Huffington Post. 17 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  11. "Chile: 4 sentenced in brutal murder of gay man".
  12. "Chilean Gets Life Over Murder Of Gay Man Daniel Zamudio". UpdatedNews.ca. 29 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  13. Gideon Long (28 October 2013). "Daniel Zamudio: The homophobic murder that changed Chile". BBC News.
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