Murdered transgender teen had her genitals mutilated before she was set on fire
(Facebook/Ally Steinfeld)
Three suspects have been arrested for the monstrous murder of a transgender teenager.
Ally Steinfeld, 17, became the 21st transgender person to be killed in the US this year.
The body of the teenager, who was from Texas County, Missouri, was found near a mobile home belonging to Briana Calderas, 24.
Calderas has been arrested with Isis Schauer and Andrew Vrba, both 18.
(Facebook/Ally Steinfeld)
Vrba has reportedly told police that he repeatedly stabbed Ally, gouging out her eyes and genitals.
Calderas and Schauer then went to a Walmart to buy items for burning Ally’s body, he said.
They then helped him to wrap Ally’s body, take it outside and set it on fire.
Vrba added that after they burned her body, they put the bones in a garbage bag and hid it in a chicken coop near Vrba’s home.
(Facebook/Ally Steinfeld)
Police records show that Steinfeld’s mobile phone and a knife were recovered from the scene.
The three suspects have been charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and abandonment of a corpse.
(Facebook/Ally Steinfeld)
Police have also announced that a fourth suspect, James T. Grigsby, has been charged with abandonment of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Ally went missing at the beginning of the month, prompting her family to start a frantic search for her.
Vrba messaged Schauer on Facebook on September 3, telling her to “stick to the story” and “quit talking,” according to NewNowNext.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Ally’s family, to pay for the funeral expenses. More than $10,000 has so far been raised, with a goal of $30,000.
Ally’s murder is the 21st killing of a trans person in the US recorded by the Human Rights Campaign since the start of the year.
21-year-old Scout Schultz, a non-binary, bisexual, intersex student at Georgia Tech, was shot dead by a campus police officer who had no crisis intervention training after approaching officers earlier this month.
(Facebook/Scout Schultz)
Scout, an LGBT student president at the university, did not identify themselves as trans, but we consider non-binary to fall under the trans umbrella.
This would mean that 2017 matches 2016 as the deadliest year for trans people on record.
However, the HRC has not tracked Scout’s death.
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has faced an avalanche of criticism for his treatment of trans people.
(Getty)
In February, he revoked protections for trans students.
And last month, he announced a ban on trans people serving in the military.
News of Ally’s murder comes just weeks after trans woman Derricka Banner, 26, was found fatally shot in a vehicle in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Trans man Kashmire Redd, 28, was stabbed several times and killed earlier this month, allegedly during an argument between him and Doris Carrasquillo, who he shared an apartment with.
And Redd’s death came just weeks after Kiwi Herring was shot dead by local police in Missouri.
Last month, TeeTee Dangerfield was shot outside of an apartment complex in Atlanta.
The murder of Dangerfield came just days after “comedian” Lil’ Duval went on the radio show the Breakfast Club and “joked” about killing trans women.
Duval, real name Roland Powell, said that if he found out somebody was trans after having sex with them, he would kill them.
41-year-old Mesha Caldwell was shot to death in Mississippi in January and no suspects have been arrested as yet.
Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow was a 28-year-old who identified as trans and two spirit. She was found dead at her home in South Dakota in January. Joshua Rayvon LeClaire has been charged with her murder.
JoJo Striker was killed in Ohio in February. The 23-year-old was cherished by friends and family.
Tiara Richmond, also known as KeKe Collier, was shot in Chicago at the age of 24 in February.
31-year-old Chyna Doll Dupree was shot and killed in New Orleans in February. She was a celebrated performer in the community.
Ciara McElveen, 31, was stabbed to death in New Orleans two days after Dupree.
Jaquarrius Holand was 18 when she was shot to death in Monroe, Louisiana in February.
38-year-old Alphonza Watson was shot and killed in Baltimore, Maryland in March. She was described as the “sunshine” of her family.
Chay Reed, 28, was shot to death in April in Miami.
Brenda Bostick was a 59-year-old homeless trans woman who was found with severe injuries in Manhattan. It’s important to note that Bostick may not have identified as trans at the time of their death, according to the family.
Sherrell Faulkner died in May at the age of 46 after being viciously attacked in November in North Carolina. The attacker has not yet been apprehended.
27-year-old Kenne McFadden was found dead in April in the San Antonio River. It’s believed that she was pushed to her death, although police are yet to have made arrests.
Kendra Marie Adams (Josie Berrios) was found in dead in June with severe burns on her body. Michael Davis has been charged with the murder of the 28-year-old.
Ava Le’Ray Barrin was shot and killed in Georgia at just 17 in June.
Ebony Morgan, 28, was shot multiple times in Virginia at the start of July.
