Subject: Task Force Alerts Feds to Killers Statements
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 20 Dec 1995 11:19:24 -0500

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National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
NEWS RELEASE
Contact:          
Helen Gonzales  (202) 332-6483 [email-masked]   
Robert Bray      (415) 552-6448  [email-masked]
2320 17th Street NW   Washington, DC   20009
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TASK FORCE RAISES LEVEL OF CONCERN ON OREGON MURDERS TO FEDS FOLLOWING RECENT
STATEMENTS BY KILLER;

KNOWING VICTIMS WERE LESBIAN "MADE IT EASIER TO KILL"

Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 1995...New developments in the case and jail house
statements by the confessed killer of two lesbian activists in Oregon have
raised the level of concern about the cause of the murders, which have been
reported in the press as a "botched robbery."

    In a letter to U.S. Attorney Janet Reno today, National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force (NGLTF) executive director Melinda Paras cited recent statements
made by Robert James Acremant, who has been apprehended and has confessed to
killing Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill of Medford, Oregon.  "Mr.
Acremant's reported comments of this past weekend have increased the
concerns" about the motives 
behind the murders, said Paras. 

    The Oregonian (12/17 and 12/18) and the San Francisco Examiner (12/17)
have both reported lesbian-phobic statements made by Acremant while in
custody.  In press interviews, Acremant said the sexual orientation of
victims had nothing to do with the murders, but then goes on to say that the
fact they were lesbians  "made it easier [to kill them] because I don't like
them."  He's also quoted as saying he did not feel any remorse for "these
people."  The Examiner story made 
Acremant's disdain for lesbians even more explicit: "I don't care for
lesbians.  Bisexual women don't bother me a bit.  I couldn't help but think
that she's [Ellis] 54 years old and had been dating that women for 12 years;
isn't that sick? That's someone's grandma for God's sake.  Could you imagine
my grandma a lesbian with another women?  I couldn't believe that.  It
crossed my mind a couple of times -- lesbo grandma, what a thing, huh?"

    The Oregonian (12/18) went on to report that Acremant said he asked
Roxanne Ellis "out of curiosity" if she and Abdill were lesbians, a fact the
article points out he may actually have already suspected.  Apparently, the
article says, Acremant had spent time looking over county records and had
noted that the victims, who he knew lived together, were listed as co-owners
of the property management firm.  Ellis told Acremant they were a lesbian
couple and that they were open about it.  He is quoted as saying, "[i]t kind
of made me sick to my stomach that she was someone's grandma," after which he
burst into laughter.

    "I'm writing to indicate our continuing concern regarding the
investigation in the murders...especially in light of recent developments,
and to again urge the Department to monitor the investigation by local law
enforcement," said the letter to Reno.  The Dec. 19 letter follows another
letter to Reno sent the previous week asking the DOJ to "monitor the Medford
situation and lend assistance if possible to local law enforcement to assure
that all of the evidence and information is collected to determine whether or
not this was a hate crime."

    "The most recently reported statements by [Acremant] regarding his
attitude toward lesbians, the fact that he knew the victims were lesbians and
that their sexual orientation made it easier for him to kill them raises the
level of concern about this being a hate crime" said Paras.

    According to the FBI, the definition of a bias or hate crime is "[a] 
criminal offense committed against a person or property which is motivated,
in whole or part, by the offender's bias against a race, religion,
ethnic/national origin group, or sexual orientation group" (emphasis added,
Uniform Crime Reporting code, U.S. Department of Justice).  "Mr. Acremant's
reported comments...have increased the concerns about the possibility of
these murders being a hate crime," said Paras.

    The two women had received threats in the past, according to local
police, based presumably on the visibility both women had as open lesbians
active in ongoing fights in Oregon to counter anti-gay ballot measures.
 Medford is one of the local communities where a city-wide anti-gay
initiative was passed.  The previous threats have not been connected to
Acremant.

    In addition to monitoring the case, NGLTF has asked the DOJ to "establish
an alert system of some kind within the Department in those states which are
expected to have anti-gay/lesbian/bisexual ballot or legislative initiatives
next year.  We know from past experience that the heightened visibility given
to those who would condemn gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons
during such campaigns leads to an increase in hostility and violence against
our communities.  Hopefully we can work jointly to stop, or at least lessen,
these incidents."

    Newspaper articles also reported that the suspect's family said that 
Acremant was desperate for money and that he intended to rob, not kill, the
victims, and that the murders took place after the robbery went wrong.  But
it has also been reported that money and credit cards were left behind at the
murder scene, raising serious questions about the suspect's claim that
robbery was the initial motive.  Since then the killer has also stated he
plans to sell his story of the murders to the "highest bidder."

    "The local gay, lesbian and bisexual community in Medford...and elsewhere
believe there are still many unanswered questions," said the letter to Reno.
"In any event, of course, the issue is not just what the suspect's initial
motive was, but whether his motive in killing the women had to do with the
fact they were lesbians."
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