Detective Vivian Hernandez of the Miami Beach Police Department is seeking assistance from the community for information related to the stabbing death of a local transsexual female resident which occurred on March 15,
The victim, Rosita Hidalgo, was discovered bludgeoned to death in her Miami Beach Apartment located on 545 Michigan Avenue when concerned neighbors and friends began to worry because they hadn’t heard from her in several days.
Javier Menendez Cuesta, 36, was close friends with the victim and told police he became increasingly concerned when he hadn’t heard from Rosita in days and so he went to check on her and notified police. The owner of the property let police into the apartment.
Amy Rivers, a legendary drag entertainer here in South Florida, was too a close friend of the victim. Amy accounts that as the police department went inside they opened up the door and she saw a pool of blood when police quickly shut the door behind them to seal off the crime scene. According to Miami Beach Police, once inside, they found blood all over the apartment and the victim’s body.
Rivers states, “Somebody had the nerve to stab her, cut her neck and put something in her mouth so she wouldn’t scream,” and added in a tearful voice, “It’s not fair what they did to her – She didn’t deserve this. I loved her and everybody loved her.”
Miami Beach Police have confirmed the victim was found with multiple stab wounds and crime scene investigators dusted for fingerprints late into the night at a grisly crime scene, yet they have few clues so they released a plea of assistance to the general public.
Friends described Rosita as a social butterfly and good person with a huge heart who would always wave hello and stop to chat with them on the street. One inside source said that often times Rosita would take in homeless people and care for them.
Chai Jindasurat, Coordinator for the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Program (NCAVP) said, “Our organization is reaching out to local organizations in the Miami area and is offering assistance with their efforts to support the community during this critical time.”
NCAVP works to prevent and respond to LGBTQ violence and collects valuable data and crucial statistics throughout the US and Puerto Rico. Jindasurat noted that in 2011 violence against transgender individuals was the highest it’s ever been on record. He encourages anyone who has experienced violence to contact a local anti-violence program for support and to document the violence.
Coincidentally, the Riviera Police Department arrested a male suspected near West Palm Beach in the shooting of two transsexual females in April, just one month after the death of Rosita. One victim died and the other is wounded. However, after speaking with detectives I have confirmed the two cases are not related.
While speaking with Miami Beach Detectives working on this investigation I learned that they are handling this case as a top priority and expressed their sincere compassion for the LGBT Community in Miami Beach. They are following up every lead they receive – leaving no stone unturned – and every piece of evidence collected at the crime scene is being analyzed. It’s respectfully understandable that sharing any leads or evidence in this case could disrupt the on-going investigation and inside sources have confirmed to me that they will not stop working until the person responsible for this horrific murder is caught and brought to justice.
One detective I spoke too commented, “It’s the LGBT Community that has allowed Miami Beach to thrive over the years and it’s our honorable duty to protect and serve them no matter if they are gay, lesbian, or transgender because they are all human beings. I want nothing more then to catch this criminal because I think the LGBT’s deserve’s it for all that they have done for our city.”
Anyone with information about the victim and/or her associates who may know what occurred, are asked to contact the Miami Beach Police Department at: 305.673.7901 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at: 305.471.TIPS (8477).
Contact: Victoria [email protected] www.facebook.com/MissVictoriaMichaels South Florida Gay News (Editorial Columnist) 302-588-9314 www.SFGN.com (Guest Editorial Bi Weekly Columnist)
