October 10th, 2010
The New York Times reports that an eighth suspect in what police described as a brutal “wolf pack” style attack against three gay men in the Bronx last weekend has turned himself in to police. Elmer Confresi, 23, turned himself in on Saturday night, while a ninth suspect, Rudy Vargas-Perez, 22, reneged on a promise he made through his lawyer to turn himself in. Vargas-Perez remains at large.
The Times included that information in a larger article about the shock and sadness that is reverberating through the Bronx neighborhood where the attacks took place.
The most severely brutalized victim was a gay 30-year-old Hispanic immigrant known in his Bronx neighborhood as “la Reina,” Spanish for “the Queen.” He was playful, flirty and always ready for a party, neighbors said.
…Every day, he stopped by El Tio grocery, the bodega on the ground floor of his building, for juices, sandwiches and small talk, according to the manager, Xavier Peña. “He was a good friend,” Mr. Peña said. “He’s a very, very nice guy. He called me Papi, Papi.”
Many in the neighborhood used female pronouns to refer to the man, though they said he dressed in men’s clothes. “She’s gay, she’s like a woman, we think of her like a woman,” explained one neighbor, speaking on the condition that he not be named for fear of reprisals.
“She’s a very good person,” he added. “If you were ever hungry or thirsty, you could go to Reina, and she would help you.”
Meanwhile, the New York Daily News says that several of the arrested gang members are pinning the blame for the attacks on the gang’s leader, Ildefonso (Cheto) Mendez, who they say threatened them if they refused to participate.
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Lindoro Almaviva
October 10th, 2010
Quick question: is this guy’s name CoNfresi or Cofresi? I shudder at the thought that we share a common ancestor: Roberto Cofresi y Ramirez de Arellano; better know as El pirata Cofresi in Puerto Rico.
I hope he is very cute. The guys in Rickers will like that.
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