Among the legendary singers of the 27 Club who captivated the world with their music and lyrics, is a woman who is not as well known—one whose powerful voice and thought-provoking lyrics set her apart from the men dominating the industry. Mia Zapata and her band, The Gits, were on the verge of becoming a household name in Seattle's grunge and punk rock scene when everything was ripped away one night in July of 1993. Mia Zapata's violent murder shocked Seattle as a whole. Who would want to kill a woman, with no enemies, who was so dynamic, vibrant, and creative, and how did they get away with murder for a decade?

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ABOUT — The Gits. (n.d.). The Gits. https://www.thegits.com/aboutAbout Antioch - Antioch College. (2025, May 23). Antioch College. https://antiochcollege.edu/about/Aug 22, 1993, page 143 - The Plain Dealer at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1070983951/?match=1&terms=mia%20zapataClark, S. J. (1993, July 16). Capital Hill woman found strangled. Seattle Gay News, 1.Dec 20, 1993, page 58 - The Gazette at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/424249475/?match=1&terms=mia%20zapataGreen, P., & Green, P. (2024, October 11). The Life of Mia Zapata and Love After Tragedy - Gen X Watch. Gen X Watch - Stories, Rants, and Being Left Alone. https://www.genxwatch.com/the-life-of-mia-zapata-and-love-after-tragedy/Haring, B. (2021, May 31). Killer of Mia Zapata, influential Seattle punk musician, dies in prison. Deadline. https://deadline.com/2021/05/killer-mia-zapata-seattle-punk-musician-dies-in-prison-1234762659/Holding on to Mia’s magic -- Singer’s killing leaves grief in the 2 worlds she lived in. (1993, August 26). The Seattle Times. https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19930826/1717883/holding-on-to-mias-magic----singers-killing-leaves-grief-in-the-2-worlds-she-lived-inMendez, S. (2025, February 3). Mia Zapata of The Gits is still influential 30 years after her death - Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-01-31/mia-zapata-the-gits-is-still-influential-30-years-after-her-deathMia zapata. (n.d.). The Gits. https://web.archive.org/web/20130406042509/http://thegits.com/?page_id=410Pian Chan, S. (2009, January 30). Singer’s killer sentenced to 36 years in prison again. The Seattle Times. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/singers-killer-sentenced-to-36-years-in-prison-again/Sheehy, P. (1993, August 1). Mia Zapata: 1965-1993. The Rocket, 9.STATE V. MEZQUIA (2005). (2005). In Case Law (No. 54246-0–I). Court of Appeals of Washington,Division 1. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/wa-court-of-appeals/1329872.htmlStone, R. (2019, December 8). The 27 Club: A Brief History. Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-lists/the-27-club-a-brief-history-17853/jeremy-michael-ward-25302/Throwaway style: on the gits and what it means to puke the blues. (n.d.). https://www.kexp.org/read/2025/1/30/throwaway-style-the-gits-mia-zapata-historical-essay/Unsolved Mysteries. (2020, September 7). Mia Zapata - Unsolved Mysteries. https://unsolved.com/gallery/mia-zapata/Who murdered Mia Zapata? -- No arrests, few clues 5 years after slaying. (1998, August 23). The Seattle Times. https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19980823/2768095/who-murdered-mia-zapata----no-arrests-few-clues-5-years-after-slaying

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