A maniac already serving time for murdering his ex-girlfriend was charged Friday within the chilly case homicide of a widely known transgender performer — often known as the “Puerto Rican Beyoncé” — who was discovered lifeless in a 2012 Brooklyn fireplace, cops and sources stated.
Henry Pacheco, 44, was charged with homicide, arson and petit larceny in connection to the Could 12, 2012 dying of Lorena Escalera, 25, who glided by the stage title Lorena Xtravaganza, cops stated.
Early that morning, Pacheco referred to as Escalera a number of instances earlier than trudging as much as the sufferer’s third-floor residence on Furman Avenue close to Bushwick Avenue, Assistant District Lawyer Steven Bravo stated throughout the alleged killer’s Friday afternoon arraignment in Brooklyn Supreme Court docket.
“After about an hour the defendant was seen exiting the constructing as the fireplace started to take over the constructing,” Bravo stated. “The origin of the fireplace was the bed room the place the sufferer’s physique was discovered.”
Escalera was discovered unconscious with burns on her physique as first responders descended on her burning residence, sources stated on the time.
Investigators consider Pacheco murdered Escalera after which set the residence on fireplace to cowl his tracks, sources stated Friday.
Bravo confirmed that Escalera “was deceased earlier than the fireplace began,” and that she died by “homicidal violence.”
Pacheco’s actual relationship to Escalera was not instantly identified.
Somebody made a name on the sufferer’s cellphone after her dying, and that caller was identified to Pacheco, however to not Escalera, Bravo stated.
Those that knew Escalera referred to as her the “Puerto Rican Beyoncé.”
“Each time she obtained on stage, regardless of the place, the gang used to get pleasure from her efficiency,” membership supervisor Adolfo Diaz Estrada advised The Put up on the time.
Practically 5 years after Escalera’s homicide, Pacheco allegedly murdered his ex-girlfriend Brooke Garcia, 27, inside an East Village residence on January 4, 2017, based on sources and a legal criticism.
Family members advised 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 dying,” her aunt advised the community. “I don’t know why someone 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.
Data present he had been locked up within the Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, NY since July of 2019, and he’s not eligible for parole till 2038, based on 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 stated.
Decide Jeffrey Gershuny ordered Pacheco held with out bail in Escalera’s homicide.
Pacheco, who was handcuffed throughout the proceedings, stated nothing however shook his head when detectives walked him out.
