A man already serving time for the murder of his ex-girlfriend has been charged in the cold case murder of a well-known transgender performer known as the “Puerto Rican BeyoncĂ©.” Henry Pacheco, 44, has been charged with murder, arson, and petit larceny in connection to the death of Lorena Escalera, 25, who went by the stage name Lorena Xtravaganza. The murder took place on May 12, 2012, in Brooklyn.
According to Assistant District Attorney Steven Bravo, Pacheco called Escalera multiple times before going to her third-floor apartment in the early hours of the morning. After about an hour, Pacheco was seen leaving the building as the fire began to engulf the apartment. Escalera was found lifeless on her bed with burns on her body, while other residents managed to escape the fire.
Investigators believe Pacheco murdered Escalera and set the apartment on fire to cover his tracks. The fire marshal determined that the blaze was not natural or accidental and started in Pacheco’s bed. Escalera was already deceased before the fire started, and the cause of death was determined to be homicidal violence.
Pacheco was already serving time for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Brooke Garcia, in January 2017. Garcia, 27, was found dead in an East Village apartment, and Pacheco was sentenced to 20 years to life in connection to that murder. While in prison, Pacheco was linked to Escalera’s murder and transported to face charges in Brooklyn.
Judge Jeffrey Gershuny ordered Pacheco held without bail in Escalera’s murder case. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez expressed the quest for justice that lasted over a decade, leading to the charges against Pacheco. Escalera came to Brooklyn to pursue her dreams of becoming a performer, but her life was tragically cut short at the age of 25. The authorities are now seeking to hold Pacheco fully responsible for the killing and the arson that put many lives at risk.
The arrest and charging of Pacheco bring closure to a long-standing cold case and provide a sense of justice for the loved ones of Lorena Escalera. The investigation into the murder continues as the legal proceedings move forward.
