Steen Fenrich

Steen Fenrich (1981 - September 9, 1999) was a 19-year-old African American gay man who lived in Bayside, Queens New York. In March 2001 his dismembered remains were discovered. Police believe his stepfather, John Fenrich, killed his stepson in a homophobic rage.

Background

Steen Fenrich entered the Army in July 1997, and served nine months before he was discharged. In September 1999 he left his parent's home in Dix Hills, and went missing. However, no one filed a missing person's report on Fenrich. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07E1DB153DF937A15750C0A9669C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=all "Signs in Grisly Killing Point to Bias and Stepfather Who Killed Himself," "New York Times", March 24, 2000] ]

Discovery

On March 21, 2000 the remains of Steen Fenrich were found by a man walking through Alley Pond Park, in Bayside, Queens, stored in a plastic blue tub. The tub contained a skull that had been burned by acid, a foot with some flesh still on it, and other body parts.

The remains were identified as those of Steen Fenrich by his Social Security number, which had been written on the skull, along with racial and homophobic slurs. [ [http://andrejkoymasky.com/mem/ste/ste1.html "Matt & Andrej Koymasky - Memorial Hall - Fenrich 1"] ]

tepfather

Shortly after being told that his stepson's remains had been found, John Fenrich called News 12 Long Island and suggested a motive. Along with suggesting that his stepson had been killed "because he was gay." The station later reported that Steen Fenrich had posed for gay pornographic photographs and had a contentious relationship with his stepfather.

Police said they had not yet told family members that Steen Fenrich's remains had been dismembered. John Fenrich's knowledge of the dismemberment led police to believe he killed his stepson.

Motive

Police reported to "Newsday" [ [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/51657076.html?dids=51657076:51657076&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Mar+24%2C+2000&author=Dan+Morrison%2C+Michael+Luo%2C+Sean+Gardiner+and+Oscar+Corral.&pub=Newsday&edition=Combined+editions&startpage=A.03&desc=Family+Dissonance+Suspect+and+stepson+argued+before+slaying%2C+cops+believe "Family Dissonance Suspect and stepson argued before slaying, cops believe", "Newsday", March 24, 2000] ] that they believed John Fenrich killed Steen on September 9, after an argument stemming from his stepson's desire to move back home after an argument with his partner. Fenrich disapproved of his son's homosexuality and was angered by his request to return home. [ [http://www.gaypeopleschronicle.com/stories/00Mar31.htm "Stepfather killed his son for being gay, police believe," "Gay Peoples Chronicle", March 31, 2000] ]

Steen Fenrich's partner told police that John Fenrich had always treated him with contempt, and had called him a few days after the argument to say that Steen was "going away for a couple of weeks."

Aftermath

On March 22, 2000, after talking to News 12, John Fenrich suddenly bolted from an interview with police in his home, climbed on the roof, fired guns and begged police to shoot him after declaring "I'm a failure as a father." [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A01E4D6173DF930A15750C0A9669C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=all "Stepfather Kills Himself After Son is Found Dead," "New York Times", March 23, 2000] ]

After an eight-hour standoff, John Fenrich committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.

ee also

*Violence against LGBT people

References

External links

* [http://www.davidgoetz.com/flower.html Flowers for... Steen Fenrich]
* [http://www.stophate.us/memorials/steen.html Steen Fenrich Memorial Page]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmid=46798920&GRid=19892941& Steen K. Fenrich (1981 - 1999) - Find A Grave Memorial]