News (USA)

Family ‘friend’ admits to murdering Baltimore gay teen

Jason MattisonAs LGBT advocates around the country are planning candlelight vigils in memory of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado — the 19-year-old boy who was burned, dismembered and decapitated last week in Puerto Rico — word comes out of Baltimore about another murdered gay teen.

Jason Mattison Jr., a 15-year old openly gay sophomore at the Vivian T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy in Baltimore, was found dead last week at his aunt’s house. He had been raped, gagged with a pillowcase and stabbed repeatedly in the head and throat. Then his body was shoved into an upstairs closet at the house.

Police have arrested 35-year-old Dante Parrish and charged him with first degree murder.

Police say Parrish, a family friend who had previously spent 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in 1999, admitted to killing Jason. Parrish is being held without bail.

An overflow crowd spilled out of the sanctuary and into the vestibule of a West Baltimore church Wednesday morning for Jason’s funeral.

Full story at the Baltimore Sun.

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