Opinion: Dying to Come to L.A.

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In the wake of the brutal murder of a young Honduran man by smugglers who killed him when his impoverished sister couldn’t pay his ransom, the Honduran Consulate in Los Angeles is asking Honduran nationals to discourage relatives from crossing illegally into the U.S.

“People are dying, people are being killed by coyotes or freezing to death,” said Consul General Vivian Panting. ‘Years ago, coyotes [smugglers] were often friends of the family—people who were well known members of the community. Now they’re just criminals.”

After crossing the Texas border with the coyotes, Abelardo Sagastume, 24, called his sister Lourdes in Los Angeles and asked for $1,700 to gain his liberty from the coyotes.

According to a report in La Opinion, Lourdes Sagastume already had told her brother not to come. She just had a baby, her husband is unemployed and they are struggling financially. When he called, she told Abelarldo she didn’t have the money. The coyotes called her back and when she told them she couldn’t pay, they hung up on her.

Then they raped Abelardo and beat him to death with a bat.

Officials at the consulate say plans are in the works to bring Abelardo Sagastume’s remains to Los Angeles for just one day—so Lourdes can say goodbye. Then the body will begin the long journey back to Honduras.