Ruben Dario Ical, 51 (a/k/a Myra Ical), Bayou Body Count No. 17

By Chris Vogel Wed., Jan. 20 2010 at 11:10 AM

Categories: Bayou Body Count

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Police discovered a body in a field a few blocks east of the University of St. Thomas Sunday.

The body belonged to 51-year-old Ruben Dario Ical, who also went by the name of Myra Chanel Ical. Ical died in an area known for picking up tricks and for buying drugs, police say.

Ical had no ID and was found half naked. Ical's body had numerous bruises, police say, along with several wounds received in the incident.

Investigators are waiting on the autopsy results to determine exactly how Ical died. Police say they have not yet found any witnesses to the killing.

Anyone with information about this case can call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

(Note: We've edited this item from its original version.)

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Ajay -- How can anyone who reads "We've edited this item from the original version" and then reads the comments be under the impression that "nothing was ever done wrong here"?
While the gesture is appreciated, it does not change the fact that you made a mistake. Editing your stories to what they originally should have been does not undo the damage you have done and the shame you have incurred by referring to MYRA as "he". The mistake cannot be ignore or swept under the rug with such an easy change. I find it even more offensive to try to cover it up and act as if nothing was ever done wrong here.
THANK YOU SHE WAS A GREAT PERSON REGARDLESS OF THE FACT NO ONE DESERVES TO HAVE THEIR LIFE SNATCHED IN A VIOLENT MANNER KNOWING HER IM SURE WHOEVER DID THIS IS NOT WALKING AROUND WITHOUT A SCRATCH OR A BRUISE. AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST THIS TYPE OF LIFESTYLE PLEASE IF HAVE NOTHING NICE TO SAY DONT SAY IT AND LIKE THEY SAY HE WHO IS FREE OF SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE........MYRA QUE DESCANSES EN PAZ
Memorial to be held for Myra Ical tonight at 6 PM at the scene, Richmond @ Garrott near the Shipley's. http://www.khou.com/news/local/Mystery-Surrounds-Montrose-Murder-82564912.html
Thank you for making the appropriate changes. I appreciate it.
Wow! Thank you for reworking this piece to report the facts in a way that doesn't victimize the victim after having her life brutally taken. I really appreciate that. BTW - when I called HPD about this case, they told me that there is absolutely no evidence to support the notion that she was a prostitute or that drugs were involved. You might want to check with HPD on that and add that fact to your story since your piece still seems to insinuate the opposite. Why not keep the line, "Ical died in an area known for picking up tricks and for buying drugs, police say" but add that HPD refutes that drugs and/or prostitution were involved in the murder since that would be an accurate statement. Leaving the insinuation there is still a bit sensationalistic.
Of 4 media outlets I contacted regarding their article calling her a man (Chronicle, My Fox Houston, Click2Houston, Houston Press), Houston Press was the only one to respond and update the entry. Thanks HP.
I agree with Daniel. Thank you for responding to our concerns and changing the article. I would like to see that extra correction as well. Referring to her as anything other then Myra is discourteous. Ignoring or invalidating her Gender Identity is a form of dehumanizing her, and it's that sense of "other" that feeds bigotry and allows acts like this to happen.
Thank you for making adjustments to the article. You may want to review the AP Guidelines for coverage of transgender individuals to assist you in future coverage of this community: �Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth. If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.� The New York Times guidelines are, perhaps, even more sensitively crafted: �Transgender: is an overall term for people whose current identity differs from their sex at birth, whether or not they have changed their biological characteristics. Cite a person's transgender status only when it is pertinent and its pertinence is clear to the reader. Unless a former name is newsworthy or pertinent, use the name and pronouns (he, his, she, her, hers) preferred by the transgender person. If no preference is known, use the pronouns consistent with the way the subject lives publicly.� I appreciate that you have attempted to address the concerns expressed in these comments. If I could make one more stylistic suggestion that would make the article more sensitive to Myra�s memory could you please change the sentence reading �The body belonged to 51-year-old Ruben Dario Ical, who also went by the name of Myra Chanel Ical� to say The body belonged to 51-year-old Myra Chanel Ical, who�s legal name was Ruben Dario Ical.� The body was most certainly Myra�s and she was working very hard to make it her body. Changing the sentence as suggested would reflect that. Thank you for covering this murder, all to often the violent deaths of marginalized individuals go unnoticed by the press.
We had no intention to offend; changes have been made to the item. Thanks
You add insult to injury by making the editorial choice to sensationalize this tragedy by referring to her as male. Then you refer to her "fooling" people. This was someone who fraught hard for her life to the very end when she was basically lynched. "He" "Fooled the police..." This is a population that can be arrested for just walking down the street. It is legal to deny them housing (no homeless shelter will work with them), most social service agencies refuse them services and medical care. On top of all of that, it is perfectly legal to specifically deny transgender people employment on top of all of the physical and verbal abuse they suffer. Obviously she was not a crossdresser; obviously her gender was female; obviously the reporter learned their journalistic skills from Jerry Springer and Fox News. Did you set out to be cruel, or did your cruelty just seep out as you wrote the article?
It's more then the pronouns, the article still refers to her as a man. Please change it, you have no concept of how disrespectful this is to Myra.
SHE may have been born a male but since SHE was presenting as female when she was killed and was most likely on hormones(explaining why the police thought she was genetically female) she was in the process of transitioning. i know of no biologically male who takes female hormones and is not in the process of transitioning from male to female. Such individuals are to be refered to as "she" unless they specifically ask to be called he. It is a VERY big deal, both to the person transitioning and those who interact with them on a daily basis. in this case i have no choice but to believe that it was critically important to the person or persons unknown who killed her.
Yes, Juan, it does matter. So YOU chill the fuck out and get your news somewhere else. You might find World Net Daily or the Drudge Report more to your sad, bigoted tastes.
We've reworked it to remove pronouns, thanks.
Chill the fuck out KYLE. does it matter? They're a man, born a man, died a man. Just because the dude wants to dress up as a woman, doesn't mean he's a woman. So chill the fuck out and get your news from somewere else, I hear the chronicle gives a fuck about what transgenders call themselves. Pay to get the news.
Transsexuals prefer to be called the gender they identify as, not what you or the police conclude from their genitalia. This is a she. I expect better from an alternative newsweekly.