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 Albuquerque Police, Gays Struggle To Find
Motive In Brutal Slaying
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 14, 2008 - 5:00 pm ET
(Albuquerque, New Mexico) A 33-year old man
is charged with murder in the brutal killing of Patrick Murphy regarded by most
in Albuquerque's LGBT community as a drag icon.
Police allege that Dana Madsen shot Murphy three
times in the head. He was arrested shortly after calling police to report a shooting
inside his apartment.
Madsen is behind held in lieu of $1
million cash or surety bond.
Investigators say that Madsen was relatively new
in Albuquerque. He once faced attempted murder charges in El Paso.
Under questioning Madsen admitted shooting Murphy several times in the head -
the last time to "put her out of her misery" because she was laying on
the ground screaming and shaking. Madsen told police that before he fired the
final shot Murphy had called him an "ass."
Madsen claims that Murphy had a pocket knife and
threatened to kill him in his sleep, something police and people who knew Murphy
disbelieve.
The two had met at Sidewinders, a local gay bar,
weeks earlier. Locals told the Tribune newspaper that Madsen regularly
wore a cowboy hat to the bar and talked about riding bulls. He was
attracted to drag queens at the club patrons told the paper.
The day of the killing the two were said to have
been in bad moods. They shared a drink and left together. It was the
last time anyone saw the 39-year old Murphy alive.
Murphy, who was 5-foot-three, is described as a
captivating performer who could command the attention of the whole bar with a
performance as Diana Ross.
Murphy performed under the stage name Patricia.
Last year Murphy won title of Miss New Mexico Gay Rodeo Association.
"She was an icon in the community,"
Sidewinders assistant manager Wade Kuenzi told the Tribune ."Everyone knew
Patricia."
©365Gay.com 2008
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