A maniac already serving time for murdering his ex-girlfriend was charged Friday in the chilly case homicide of a widely known transgender performer — often called the “Puerto Rican Beyoncé” — who was discovered useless in a 2012 Brooklyn fireplace, cops and sources mentioned.
Henry Pacheco, 44, was charged with homicide, arson and petit larceny in connection to the Might 12, 2012 loss of life of Lorena Escalera, 25, who glided by the stage title Lorena Xtravaganza, cops mentioned.
Early that morning, Pacheco known as Escalera a number of instances earlier than trudging as much as the sufferer’s third-floor condo on Furman Avenue close to Bushwick Avenue, Assistant District Lawyer Steven Bravo mentioned in the course of the alleged killer’s Friday afternoon arraignment in Brooklyn Supreme Courtroom.
“After about an hour the defendant was seen exiting the constructing as the fireplace started to take over the constructing,” Bravo mentioned. “The origin of the fireplace was the bed room the place the sufferer’s physique was discovered.”
Different residents managed to flee, however Escalera was discovered lifeless on her mattress with burns on her physique as first responders descended on her burning condo, in keeping with prosecutors and sources.
Investigators imagine Pacheco murdered Escalera after which set the condo on fireplace to cowl his tracks, sources mentioned Friday.
Bravo confirmed that Escalera “was deceased earlier than the fireplace began,” and that she died by “homicidal violence.”
The hearth marshal decided that the blaze started in Pacheco’s mattress, and it “was not pure nor unintended,” the DA’s workplace mentioned.
Pacheco’s actual relationship to Escalera was not instantly identified.
Somebody made a name on the sufferer’s telephone after her loss of life, and that caller was identified to Pacheco, however to not Escalera, Bravo mentioned.
Those that knew Escalera known as her the “Puerto Rican Beyoncé.”
“Each time she bought on stage, irrespective of the place, the group used to take pleasure in her efficiency,” membership supervisor Adolfo Diaz Estrada instructed The Put up on the time.
Almost 5 years after Escalera’s homicide, Pacheco allegedly murdered his ex-girlfriend Brooke Garcia, 27, inside an East Village condo on January 4, 2017, in keeping with sources and a felony criticism.
Family members instructed WABC on the time that Garcia, who had a younger daughter, was staying with an aunt as she labored to get again on her toes.
“It was a horrible loss of life,” her aunt instructed the community. “I don’t know why any individual would do one thing like that. She didn’t deserve it.”
Pacheco was sentenced to twenty years to life behind bars in connection to that homicide.
Information present he had been locked up within the Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, NY since July of 2019, and he isn’t eligible for parole till 2038, in keeping with the information.
He was linked to Escalera’s homicide whereas held within the state lock-up and transported to the Massive Apple to face these expenses, sources mentioned.
Decide Jeffrey Gershuny ordered Pacheco held with out bail in Escalera’s homicide.
Pacheco, who was handcuffed in the course of the proceedings, mentioned nothing however shook his head when detectives walked him out.
“Ms. Escalera got here to Brooklyn to pursue her goals of turning into a performer, however her life was brutally snuffed out as a substitute when she was solely 25,” Brooklyn District Lawyer Eric Gonzalez mentioned in a press release concerning the arrest. “The hunt for justice lasted over a decade however at this time we’re capable of cost her alleged killer who we’ll now search to carry totally accountable for this killing and the arson that put many different lives in danger.”
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