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from florida … “transveestite” murder finally so
Suburban Lake Worth man charged with murder, ending 2-year-long search for cross dresser
As Naum Rafael Mendez sat in the front seat of Juan Carlos Atenco Camacho’s pickup on the night of Feb. 1, 2008, in the parking lot of Mendez’ Boca Raton apartment, Mendez said he was in love with him, detectives say.
Although the two had sexual encounters before, Camacho said he was straight. Camacho, who authorities say also was sleeping with a 14-year-old girl at the time, also said he wouldn’t leave his wife and 2-year-old son.
Camacho now has confessed that he drove Mendez, 33, to a vacant house in Palm Springs where, in a struggle, he stabbed the cross-dressing waiter.
He said he then dumped the man’s body west of Palm Beach Gardens.
Authorities say they’ve resolved the 2-year-old missing person case with the filing of first-degree charges against the suburban Lake Worth janitor.
After Camacho confessed Wednesday, he led authorities to the scene, a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s report said. Deputies did not find Mendez’ body there but were still searching this morning, Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Eric Davis said today.
This morning, Palm Beach County Circuit Jed Ted S. Booras ordered Camacho, 24, held without bond.
Mendez was last seen about 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2008, at Matteo’s Restaurant at 233 S. Federal Highway in Boca Raton, where he worked as a waiter.
He also worked part-time at a club in Greenacres where he danced under the name “Gaviota,” Boca Raton police said at the time.
According to the sheriff’s report, Mendez’ brother had said Mendez had gone out that night and was supposed to go to the club but never showed. Mendez was last seen wearing a red dress and blond wig and carrying a silver purse.
After friends and relatives told Boca Raton police they’d seen Camacho and Mendez together, Camacho told detectives in March 2008 that Mendez had called and invited him to his Boca Raton apartment for a beer. He said Mendez wanted to take him to a club but he said he had to return to work cleaning a Boca Raton barbecue restaurant.
Camacho said at the time he left and had not seen Mendez since.
After Boca Raton detectives reopened the case in April, a search of cellphone records contradicted Camacho’s version of his movements the night Mendez disappeared.
After deputies arrested Camacho Wednesday on charges of being a habitual traffic offender and driving without a license, they alerted two Boca Raton detectives, who then interviewed him at sheriff’s headquarters, the report said.
At first Camacho said he’d never had sex with Mendez. Then he admitted the two had had a sexual relationship.
Camacho said that after Mendez refused to leave his truck, he drove to a home in Palm Springs that his family recently had vacated.
Camacho said he ran inside and locked the door but Mendez forced his way in.
He said the two wrestled and he reached for a tackle box, finding a 6-inch fillet knife.
Camacho said he struck Mendez with the knife. He said Mendez then threatened to kill Camacho’s wife and son.
Camacho said he then stabbed Mendez in the abdomen more than six times, killing him.
Camacho said he carried Mendez to the bed of his truck and drove to the Beeline Highway and PGA Boulevard, where he dumped Mendez’ body. He said he also dumped Mendez purse, keys and cellphone.
Camacho said he returned to the vacant home the next morning and cleaned up the crime scene.
Three days after the murder, Camacho now said, he’d confided his crime to a then 16-year-old woman who lived in his mobile home park and with whom he’d had a relationship since she was 14. He later fathered a child with the teen in August 2008, the report said.
When detectives spoke with the teen, she was vague about what Camacho had told her, Boca Raton police spokeswoman Sandra Booneberg said today.
yep – “i’m not gay” seems to be a common plea from trans murderers … be careful who you hang out with …
r.i.p. gaviota
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