Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 05:51:45 -0800 From: Clare Howell Subject: IYF-Trans-Murder in Austin MEDIA ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Editor: Clare Howell, clare@gpac.org TRANS-MURDER IN AUSTIN ===================== [Austin, TX: 14 Jan 99] THE BODY OF DONALD FULLER, 18, also known as Lauryn Paige, was found murdered last Friday in a wooded area of southeast Austin. Two men in a white van were seen earlier that morning near the spot where the victim's body was found. A description of the two men led to composite sketches that were shown on television. The Austin American-Statesman reports that one of those men, Frank Santos, called police when he saw his picture. He told them he had last seen his brother- in-law, Gamaliel Mireles Coria, and Fuller drive off together Friday morning. Coria's girlfriend subsequently told police that he had confessed the murder to her. Coria, 28, was arrested Wednesday and remains in jail under $1,000,000 bail. The victim was dressed as a woman. Said his father of Donald's cross-dressing, "He's been that way all his life. We always knew he was a little different, and we pretty much accepted it, but we didn't allow it around the house. We just knew he wasn't happy unless he dressed up." As Lauryn, the victim had often been seen walking along South Congress Avenue, an area where police regularly conduct prostitution raids. Before Coria's arrest, Police Commander Gary Olfers had said, "We are dealing with sadistic killers. There was more than one [stab] wound, and they were brutal in the application of those wounds." The autopsy revealed a cut across Lauryn's throat 9 inches long and 3 inches wide. "The police description of this murder is heartbreakingly familiar," said Riki Anne Wilchins, of GenderPAC. "Sadistic killers, multiple stab wounds, bludgeoned and/or shot repeatedly... it's a familiar litany of brutally violent acts done to gender- different people: Chanelle Pickett, Brandon Teena, Christian Paige, Deborah Forte, Vianna Faye Williams, Jamaica Green, Jessy and Peggy Santiago, Tasha Dunn... and the list goes on." ### Subscriptions. Please contact: Subscribe@Gpac.org For prior releases, check the GenderPAC website at: http://www.gpac.org (c) 1999 InYourFace GenderPAC's online news-only service for gender activism.