4 Million Bond Set for Killer in PR

Juan Martinez Matos, who is accused of murdering a 19-year-old gay man in Puerto Rico, is being held in jail on a $4 million bond, according to the Associated Press.

Martinez Matos, 26, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the brutal killing of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado. He may also be charged with federal hate-crime penalties, as Mercado may have been killed because he was gay. According to reports, Martinez Matos picked Mercado up from the street, believing he was a woman. When he realized Mercado was male, an altercation began, and Mercado was found dead on the side of a road in the town of Cayey. The U.S. attorney's office will determine whether to bring a federal hate-crime charge against Martinez Matos.

In 2002, Puerto Rico added sexual orientation to its hate-crimes law.

Vigils mourning Mercado's will be held across the country this weekend. For more information on the vigils, visit Mercado-Vigil.tumblr.com.