In 1990, the creative Jennie Livingston ventured into the streets of New York City to document the lives of members of its ballroom community via the movie ‘Paris is Burning’.
By the time the documentary was released in the September of that year one of its stars, an ambitious artist named Venus Xtravaganza, was dead.
Today, her murderer is still at large.
Meet us below to revisit the unsolved murder below…
Born Thomas Pellagatti, Venus relocated to New York City from New Jersey after her family learned that they were performing as a cross dresser. Afraid that they would be embarrassed, she left home as a teen and became a member of the the House of Xtravaganza and was catapulted into NYC’s art scene.
On Christmas Day 1988, the artist was found dead…suffocated and placed beneath a bed at the Duchess Hotel in New York.
She was 23 years old.
Police believed she had been dead for four days by the time she was found in the hotel room, and were unable to locate the villain responsible for her murder.
A violent villain, who is still at large.
The murder of Venus Xtravaganza still haunts me…..
— furfante (@nicolemilfie) September 24, 2015
A few trans murder victims from the past:
“Julie Doe” (1988 remains have not been Identified yet hence the name)
Venus Xtravaganza (1988)
Carla Leigh Salazar (1989)
Branson Teena (1993)
Amanda Milan (2000)
Gwen Araujo (2002)
Nireah Johnson (2003)
Crain Conway (2012)— #1619 (@Im_tired1619) August 29, 2019
Venus Xtravaganza’s murder is still unsolved
Venus Xtravaganza’s murder is still unsolved
Venus Xtravaganza’s murder is still unsolved
Venus Xtravaganza’s murder is still unsolved
Venus Xtravaganza’s murder is still unsolved
Venus Xtravaganza’s murder is still unsolved— F@gsH8Cops-19® (@khairlines) June 30, 2020
Hit this link to learn more about the case.
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She was most likely killed by a cop on the DL, which is why its unsolved. Closeted NYPD cops are the ones who mainly preyed on the transsexual s** workers on the piers back in the late 80’s/early 90’s.
NOT ONE WORD YOU SAID WAS A LIE! STRAIGHT FACTS!
Safe your BLM BS for another post you sad loser. Go suck on your papas c o c k
@Clark, see this is off the meds lol…get a glass of water and take them! 💊 I agree @Gworl Bye, you know your stuff! ✅ 💯
So sad R.I.P
Is there a reason for dead-naming her in this post? The least you can do is give her the respect she deserves.
Dead naming? This is a story dedicated to the life and death Of a murdered human being and you’re upset because they shared what her birth name was. Her birth name is part of her story and has a lot to do with why she had to leave Jersey in the first place because her family couldn’t accept her for who she wanted to be. That’s not disrespectful . It’s a fact .
You are a fool. Sharing the name a trans person was given before they transitioned isn’t disrespectful if it’s done to tell their wider story. For example, Kris Jenner married Bruce Jenner. She didn’t marry Caitlyn. That’s just a stone cold fact so I think the trans community needs to draw a line between fantasy and reality when it comes to telling their stories as is it. I’m so mad that I’m even having to leave this comment under a story I think was written to celebrate Venus and remind people that her life mattered.
Tut tut tut he meneertje
Rest In Peace to every trans person and every trans person of color. Your lives matter ❤️ My heart breaks knowing that America and this world doesn’t look at trans people with equality and that we are still struggling with basic human rights for the lgbtq+ community. I love you trans people, I support you and I stand by your side as a gay Latino man. You may be gone but not forgotten. Your legacy lives on through so many trans and lgbtq+ people you’ve inspired!
I think you need to rewrite your opening sentence. How did Livingston venture into the streets to document Venus’ life in 1990 if Venus died in 1988?
Maybe start with “In the late 80s, the creative Jennie Livingston ventured . . . . “
Followed with “By the time the documentary was released in September 1990 . . . . “