Bernardo Pantaleon, a proud, out gay man was tragically targeted and murdered because of his sexuality. His assailants tortured him, viciously killed him, mutilated his body post-mortem, and sent pictures of the gruesome act to his family while boasting about it on social media. This is not just a crime; this is an act of hate.

Bernardo was the rock of our family - a beloved cousin who will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He leaves behind brothers who are grappling with this senseless loss.

Unfortunately in Arizona, hate crimes are treated like toppings on pizza - they can only be added on after the initial murder charge. This means that many hate crimes go unrecognized for what they truly are - acts fueled by prejudice and hatred.

According to FBI statistics from 2019 (the latest available), there were 7,314 hate crime incidents reported nationwide. Of these incidents, 16.8% were motivated by sexual-orientation bias (FBI Hate Crime Statistics). Yet these numbers do not fully capture the reality as many such crimes go unreported or unrecognized due to inadequate laws like those in Arizona.

We fear that Bernardo's case will be swept under the rug if we don't take action now. We demand justice for Bernardo Pantaleon and call upon lawmakers in Phoenix, AZ to reform their approach towards handling hate crimes so that no other family has to endure what we have experienced.

Please sign this petition today to demand justice for Bernardo and push for necessary changes in our legal system's treatment of hate crimes.