LGBT POV

Jesus Catalan, wanted in the August 28, 2009 murder of Paulina Ibarra, (pictured) a 24 year old transgender woman who lived in East Hollywood, is in custody. LAPD Lt. Wes Buhrmester, who has been working the case from the beginning, says there will be news conference at 4:00 p.m. at Rampart Station, 1401 W. 6th St. to discuss the details of the arrest. Buhrmester,  some LAPD command staff and possibly some community members will speak.  Additionally, members of Paulina Ibarra’s family will be in attendance.

Working with the transgender community, Buhrmester was able to issue a description of Catalan and warn that he was considered armed and dangerous.  He also got the case profiled on the Fox TV show “America’s Most Wanted” last December.

Buhrmester said Catalan was in Mexico “when he ran afoul of the authorities down there.  He is not a Mexican citizen, being born in Puerto Rico, so they transported him to the border and turned him over to the U. S. Border Patrol.  A fingerprint check revealed he was wanted in Los Angeles on the murder warrant.” As of press time, Buhrmester had no date for arraignment.

UPDATE: Buhrmester says Catalan has been arraigned. A preliminary hearing has been set for July 19, 2010, 8:30 a.m. at the Criminal Courts Building, 210 W. Temple St., LA, Division 32.

On Friday, Fox TV show “America’s Most Wanted” broadcast a segment on the murder of transgender Paulina Ibarra in Hollywood in an effort to locate a suspect – Jesus Catalan.

LGBT POV reported on Catalan last month, after LAPD Lt. Wes Buhrmester said Catalan’s DNA was found at the scene. At the time we posted this information:

Jesus Catalan (AKA: Brian Nanes or Luis Santiago), 24, is described as a homeless male Hispanic, 5’9”, 140 pounds, black hair, brown eyes, with a tattoo on his right arm. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

Catalan was known to a number of transgender women in the Hollywood area and the LAPD believes someone may be hiding him. However, the LAPD says these women should now be concerned about their own safety. Anyone with information please call Detective Mike Arteaga, who is bilingual, at the LAPD Homicide Bureau at (213) 484-3639. The main number is (213) 484-3650.

“America’s Most Wanted” has not yet posted their segment on Ibarra on their website – but they do have an interview with Maria Roman, a transgender woman, who talks about hate crimes against Ibarra and other transgender people.

The popular Fox TV show “America’s Most Wanted” features a segment on the murder of transgender Paulina Ibarra in an effort to locate a suspect – Jesus Catalan. The episode airs at 9:00pm.

LGBT reported on Catalan last month, after LAPD Lt. Wes Buhrmester said Catalan’s DNA was found at the scene. At the time we posted this information:

Jesus Catalan (AKA: Brian Nanes or Luis Santiago), 24, is described as a homeless male Hispanic, 5’9”, 140 pounds, black hair, brown eyes, with a tattoo on his right arm. He should be considered armed and dangerous. The LAPD believe that he has been harbored by well-intentioned transgender women – who should now be concerned about their own safety.

Click inside to learn more.

Frontiers In LA and LGBT POV have reported on the brutal murder last Aug. 28, of Paulina Ibarra, a 24-year-old transgender woman who was found stabbed to death in her apartment in Hollywood. Tonight in West Hollywood at 6:00pm at Matthew Shepard Human Rights Triangle 
(Santa Monica Blvd. at Crescent Heights) 
there will be an unveiling of the first Transgender Memorial Plaque 
commemorating Ibarra and all those who have been murdered due to anti-transgender
violence and hatred. Click inside for more details. UPDATE WITH A NOTE FROM THE TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER.

Last Aug. 28, Paulina Ibarra, a 24-year-old transgender woman, was found stabbed to death in her apartment at 939 N. Mariposa Avenue in Hollywood.
Soon thereafter, with the help of the Los Angeles-area transgender community, the LAPD named Jesus Catalan as a person of interest. He is now wanted for murder. Click inside for the story. Here is a TV news report broadcast shortly after the murder: