'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAcACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABfAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABwgQAAEEAQUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIAAQMEEgUGByEyCAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgMRAAMAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECEQAhAzGB/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCu8f7g1PcX0VyHFNZIqVPRqowwMZ4xu02Iu4l1l0/laUeoDv6JETZihi6EvpyLIvIa4pAA6mgM/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Fred Martinez Jr. was a Native American, identified as a Two-Spirit teenager, who went missing in June 2001 after leaving his home to go to the Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo. Five days later, they found his body, bludgeoned to death and decomposed, in an area called "The Pits" in Cortez Colorado. Reports state that Fred was outwardly expressive about his feminine side and wore women's clothing.
An anonymous tip led authorities to 18-year-old Shaun Murphy, a man from Farmington, New Mexico. He had admitted to murdering the 16-year-old after learning about his s*xual and gender identity.
Murphy claimed he beat Fred with a rock repeatedly and left him to die of his wounds and exposure. The then-18-year-old was never charged with a hate crime and eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
The story of Fred Martinez Jr.'s murder is slated to air on ID's Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death on Tuesday, May 9, at 9 pm ET. Titled Killing of Two Spirits, the synopsis of the episode reads:
"In 2001, in Cortez, Colo., the violent murder of a gay Navajo teenager means two spirits die with him."
Fred Martinez Jr.'s murder: Three things to know about the hate crime murder of the Two-Spirited teenager
1) Martinez was targeted because of his s*xual and gender identity
Fred Martinez Jr., 16, identified as Two-Spirit, a Native American cultural identity that encompasses a range of gender identities and s*xual orientations. The teen was expressive about his identity in his small town of Cortez, Colorado, and occasionally faced harassment and discrimination because of it.
When he left his home on June 16, 2001, to head to the Ute Mountain Roundup Rodeo, no one expected that they would never see him again. His concerned mother reported him missing.
Five days later, the decomposed body of a young man was found in the "The Pits" area in Cortez Colorado. It was later identified as Fred. Reports state that he was bludgeoned beyond recognition and died of blunt force injuries and exposure.
2) A New Mexico man murdered Fred Martinez Jr. because of his s*xual and gender identity
Not long after the discovery was made, a tipster contacted law enforcement. The tipster told them that an 18-year-old named Shaun Murphy, 18, was bragging to his friends about how he "bug squashed and beat up a f*g."
In his confession, Murphy referred to Fred as a "f*g" and admitted to killing him because of his gender identity. He claimed that shortly after meeting Fred and learning that he was gay, Murphy started chasing the teenager south of Cortez. He then beat Fred with a rock and left him to die.
Local law enforcement did not investigate Fred Martinez Jr.'s murder as a hate crime. Instead, they charged Murphy with second-degree murder and later added a first-degree murder charge. The accused eventually pleaded guilty to a second-degree murder charge in 2002 and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
3) Fred Martinez Jr.'s killer has since been released from prison on parole
Shaun Murphy was granted parole in May 2018 and released from prison the following September. He only served 17 years on this 40-year prison sentence and currently resides in Greeley, Colorado.
LGBTQIA+ activist Cathy Renna fears that Murphy's release from prison and move to Greeley could exacerbate fear in the neighborhood. According to Durango Herald, Renna knew Fred Martinez Jr., and said that people would live in fear as Fred's murder is still "one of the most horrific hate crime murders."
Fred's murder has only recently garnered national attention after a 2016 documentary titled Two Spirits was released. The documentary was about his life and murder and helped spread awareness about the hate crime and the issues Two-Spirit people still face. Martinez's legacy continues to inspire activism and advocacy for LGBTQ rights and Two-Spirit visibility.
Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death will air with a brand new episode on Tuesday at 9 pm ET on ID.
