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Gay Teen Murdered With Shoelace In South African "LGBTI Hub" City

Police also found the body of an unborn fetus nearby.

A 17-year-old LGBT student was found murdered in South Africa on Saturday, apparently strangled to death with a shoelace.

Police said a passerby had discovered the body of Lesley Makousa in an isolated area in Potchefstroom, a city about 100 miles southwest of Johannesburg which was described as "an LGBTI hub" in the area.

A plastic bag containing a human fetus was found nearby, though police believe the two deaths are unrelated.

Constable Trom of the Ikageng SAPS (South African Police Service) said there are currently no suspects in either crime, and that Makousa's murder does "not appear to be a hate crime for now," because there's no evidence Makousa's sexuality or gender identity motivated his killer.

“There are two separate incidents. It’s just unfortunate that his body was dumped there or he was killed there,” she said.

A memorial service for Makousa was held today at the Promosa Secondary School, which was reportedly packed to capacity and overflowing.

According to Mamba Online, the teen's death comes almost exactly two years after the murder of Gift Disebo, a lesbian woman who was also strangled with a shoelace in Ventersdorp, an hour north of Potchefstroom.

Her killer, Stoffel Pule Motlhokwane, was sentenced to life in prison last year.

For more on international LGBT issues, visit Logo’s Global Ally site.

h/t Gay Star News

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