Gwen Araujo Was Brutally Beaten for About 5 Hours

Araujo, who was going by the name "Lida" at the time, met Michael Magidson, Jose Merél, Jaron Nabors, and Jason Cazares in the summer of 2002. She was reported to have engaged in oral sex with Magidson and anal sex with Merél. She claimed to be menstruating and during sex would push her partners' hands away from her genitalia to prevent them from discovering that she was biologically male. On October 3, 2002, she attended a party at a house rented by Merél and his brother, Paul Merél. Also in attendance at the party were Magidson, Jose Merél, Nabors, Cazares, Paul Merél, Paul Merél's girlfriend Nicole Brown, and Emmanual Merél.

Today Lifetime Movie Network will present the Gwen Araujo’s murder story at 8 PM. She was a transsexual woman who was murdered by four people in Alameda County in 2002.

At this point numerous guests left the residence. Jose Merel and Jaron Nabors remained inside the residence with Mike Magidson. Jason Cazares claimed to go outside at this point; however he did not leave because he had arrived in Mike Magidson’s truck. After everyone left, the three assailants continued assaulting Araujo. She was brutally beaten for about 5 hours.