Three sentenced
in Araujo killing

Two men convicted of killing a transgender teenager after discovering the pretty girl they'd had sex with was biologically male were sentenced Friday to prison following an emotion-filled court hearing. Michael Magidson, 25, and Jose Merel, 26, were sentenced to the mandatory terms of 15 years to life for second-degree murder. A third man, Jason Cazares, 26, who pleaded no contest to manslaughter in a plea bargain, was sentenced to six years. The men were accused of killing 17-year-old Gwen Araujo, who was born a boy named Edward but felt her true identity was as a woman. The defendants met Araujo in the summer of 2002, and Magidson and Merel had sexual encounters with her. The two grew suspicious that Araujo was not a woman after comparing notes. In October 2002, Araujo's biological identity was revealed in a confrontation at Merel's house in Newark, Calif., a San Francisco suburb. Chaos ensued as the teenager, 5-feet-7 and about 100 pounds, was beaten, tied up, and strangled. A jury convicted Magidson and Merel of second-degree murder in September. Cazares reached his plea bargain after two juries deadlocked on his fate. Before the sentences were handed out Friday, Araujo's relatives addressed the court, wiping away tears as they talked about their loss. "Gwen deserved the right to live her life," her mother, Sylvia Guerrero, told the defendants. Four men were charged in the case, the three defendants and 22-year-old Jaron Nabors, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter early in the case and testified for the prosecution. He was expected to be sentenced later to 11 years in prison. At trial, Cazares said he was outside when the killing took place and helped only to bury the body. Magidson acknowledged hitting and tying up Araujo but said he didn't kill her. His attorney asked for a manslaughter verdict, saying the killing was not murder but a crime of passion provoked by deception, a defense that infuriated Araujo's family and many transgender people. Merel said he vomited and wept when he discovered Araujo's biological identity, slapping her and hitting her with a glancing blow with a pan. But his attorney said that was the extent of Merel's involvement. In her remarks, Guerrero touched on Nabors and Merel, who provided much of the information about what happened that night and identified Magidson as the ringleader. Nabors was not in the courtroom, but Merel cried freely as Guerrero called the testimony brave. Merel spoke briefly, telling Araujo's family that "from the bottom of my heart I am truly and sincerely sorry." Magidson also spoke, saying the case was "based entirely on lies." He read a letter he said had been sent to him by a stranger that took shots at Magidson's codefendants and the prosecutor and essentially blamed Araujo for what happened. Magidson's remarks drew a rebuke from the judge. "I don't find that you're remorseful at all," Alameda County superior court judge Harry Sheppard said. "You're blaming codefendants, you're blaming the district attorney for events that you participated in." Magidson and Merel were already in custody. Cazares, who is out on $1 million bail, was allowed to delay the start of his prison sentence until March 30 so he can be present for the birth of his child. (AP)