A Brooklyn man has been arraigned on charges connected to the 2012 homicide of Bushwick transgender performer Lorena Escalera, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office announced Friday alongside New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Escalera, 25, who performed under the stage name Lorena Xtravaganza, was found dead in her bed after a fire broke out in her bedroom. Her death was later ruled a homicide.
On Feb. 14, Henry Pacheco, 44, of Brooklyn, was arraigned on charges of second-degree murder, second- and third-degree arson, and petit larceny in connection with the case, which remained unsolved for more than a decade.
Pacheco, who is being held without bail, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted. The indictment is based on forensic evidence, phone records and surveillance footage.
Before the fire erupted in the early hours of May 12, 2012, Escalera received multiple phone calls from Pacheco, according to the investigation. At around 2:20 a.m., surveillance video captured him entering Escalera’s building at 47 Furman Ave. Just over an hour later, the defendant was seen on surveillance footage leaving the building.
The surveillance camera then recorded what appeared to be smoke coming from the third floor, where Escalera’s apartment was located.
By 4 a.m., the building was engulfed in thick smoke and flames. All residents were able to escape safely, but Escalera was found in her bed and pronounced dead at the scene
The medical examiner determined that Escalera was killed before the fire started and ruled her death a homicide, citing “homicidal violence of [a] undetermined type.” The Fire Marshal further concluded that the fire originated at Escalera’s bed and was neither natural nor accidental.
A review of Escalera’s phone records showed multiple calls around the time of her death. Some of those calls were answered after she had already died, including one from a person who knew only the defendant, not the victim.
Last year, Pacheco confirmed he was the person seen on surveillance footage entering and leaving the building.
His defense attorney was not immediately available for comment.
“Ms. Escalera came to Brooklyn to pursue her dreams of becoming a performer, but her life was brutally snuffed out instead when she was only 25,” District Attorney Eric. Gonzalez said in a statement. “The quest for justice lasted over a decade but today we are able to charge her alleged killer who we’ll now seek to hold fully responsible for this killing and the arson that put many other lives at risk.”
The DA added that he hopes Escalera’s loved ones find peace now that the case has been cracked.
“I hope that Ms. Escalera’s loved ones and friends will find a measure of solace knowing that this tragic murder has now been solved,” he said. “In Brooklyn, we protect everyone, no matter who they are, who they love or where they came from.”
Hate crimes against transgender New Yorkers rose more than 140% between 2018 and 2023, increasing from 10 cases to 24, according to a report by the New York State Comptroller. Overall, hate crimes have been on the rise across New York State, with incidents increasing by 12.7% in 2023 alone, the report found.
On the same day as Pacheco’s arraignment, another case of violence against a transgender person was reported in Canandaigua, N.Y., by the New York State Police.
Five people have been charged in connection with the death of Sam Nordquist, 24, a transgender man whose remains were found in a field in Yates County. Authorities believe the suspects were involved in the physical abuse Nordquist endured for three months before his death. Police are still investigating whether the case will be classified as a hate crime.
Between 2017 and 2020, at least nine transgender individuals were killed in New York State, according to the Transgender Law Center. The organization considers New York one of the five most hostile states in the country for transgender people.
“The horrific murder of Lorena Escalera, a beloved trans performer, devastated her Brooklyn neighbors and chosen LGBTQIA+ family, who continue to face the ongoing threat of hatred and violence,” Tisch said. “I commend the NYPD investigators and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office for their tireless efforts to bringing this heinous criminal one step closer to justice and offering a modicum of solace to Ms. Escalera’s family, friends, and loved ones within the LGBTQIA+ community.”
Tisch added that she hopes the indictment sends a “clear message” to those “living in fear for who they are.”
“Public safety does not discriminate, and every New Yorker deserves to feel safe at home,” she said.
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The LGBTQIA+ performance and ballroom community has kept Escalera close to their hearts as the case remained unsolved for more than a decade.
In an Instagram post this week, the House of Xtravaganza account, @houseofxtravaganza, memorialized Lorena Xtravaganza, reflecting on the impact of her absence.
“Lorena Xtravaganza was taken from us 13 years ago, and the pain of her loss remains deeply felt. Her family and friends have held onto hope for justice for many years, and today, with the apprehension of her murderer, we can finally begin to find closure,” the post read. “Though the journey has been long, we are grateful to everyone who helped keep her memory and spirit alive. She was a powerful force within the House of Xtravaganza, leaving an indelible impact that will be felt forever. Her light continues to shine through all who were touched by her life.”
