Death of gay New York man ‘not a hate crime’
The killing of a New York state gay bar owner was not motivated by homophobia, police said today.
Clinton ‘Billy’ Lewis, who owned Club Chili and helped organise Pride events in Elmira, was shot dead early on Sunday morning at his home.
Louis Duffy, 20, was arrested shortly afterwards.
According to the Elmira Star-Gazette, Capt Joseph Kain of the Elmira Police Department said: “I really can’t disclose the actual motive, but I will say it was a personal issue. The victim was not killed as a direct result of being gay, it does not appear to be a hate crime.”
He added that the pair appeared to know each other through mutual friends.
Duffy, of Horseheads, has reportedly confessed to the killing and has been charged with second degree murder.
