Edgar Eddie Garzon

Edgar Garzon (1966 - September 4, 2001) was a Latino gay man from Queens, New York, by way of
Columbia. On August 15, 2001, Garzon was allegedly attacked by John McGhee after leaving bar at
around 3:50 a.m. Garzon remained in a coma due to his injuries, and died on September 4, 2001. At
trial, the prosecution said the attack ensued after Garzon flirted with McGhee.
Garzon, 35, left his family behind in Columbia, to build a life for himself in New York City.He was
a dancer, but made his living as set designer for local Latino theater groups. He was also a member
of the Columbia Lesbian and Gay Association.
On August 15, 2001, Garzon was out drinking with friends. Shortly before 4:00 a.m., he left Friend's
Tavern on Roosevelt, in the Jaskcon Heights neighborhood of Queens, New York. McGhee spent the night
smoking marijuana and riding around the neighborhood in a red car, with Christopher Ricalde, 14, and
another man named Ya Ya.
Witness accounts differ on what happened next, when Garzon crossed paths with McGhee, Ricalde and
the other man in the car. The attack apparently took place after an exchange between Garzon and one
of the men in the car.
Duques did not hear the conversation, and said Garzon told him that someone in the car had invited
him to a party, but he refused. Duques later said he assumed that statement was Garzon's bravado in
response to being rejected.
Duques and Garzon saw the red car a second time, and Garzon expresed concern. Afterwards, Duques and
Garzon parted company, with Garzon heading down 77th Street alone. A bank surveillance camera
captured a second encounter between Garzon and the occupants of red car. The video caught the car,
but not the men inside. It shows Garzon stopping and looking intently into the car. After Garzon
goes on his way, someone from the car goes after him, out of camera range.
Frank Byrne, a resident of 77th Street at the time, said that he was awaked that morning by “three
loud whacks.” He looked out of his window to see a man lying on the sidewalk, a second man
standing over him, and a third man moving back towards a red car.

The next time Duques saw the red car was when he came rushing back to 77th Street after hearing a
loud noise, and turned the corner to see two men getting into it very quickly. He found Garzon
laying on the ground, and called 911.
Sgt. Eileen M. Walter was the first police officer to respond to the 911 call, and arrived to find
Garzon lying in a pool of his own blood, barely conscious and “constantly moaning.” Emergency
medical technician Stephen Carter said that Garzon's head injuries were so serious that he and his
partner could not stop the bleeding, and saw what appeared to be brain matter on Garzon's face.
Police believed that he was attacked with a blunt object Police also believed Garzon had been robbed
of $10.Garzon was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he remained in a coma until he died on on
September 4, 2001. An autopsy revealed that Garzon had suffered several skull fractures, and a brain
hemorrhage.