2 men charged following murder of transgender woman in South Carolina

Two men person been charged successful narration to nan 2019 execution of a Black transgender female successful South Carolina, authorities said Wednesday.  In a five-count national indictment, nan 2 men were charged pinch dislike crime and obstruction offenses successful nan decease of Pebbles LaDime "Dime" Doe, 24, according to a news merchandise from nan United State's Attorney's Office. 

Daqua Ritter, 26, was charged pinch a dislike crime arsenic good arsenic utilizing a firearm successful relationship pinch a dislike crime and obstruction of justice. The dislike crime count carries a maximum punishment of life successful prison, nan U.S. Attorney's agency said, while nan obstruction of justness complaint carries a maximum punishment of 20 years successful prison. 

Xavier Pinckney, 24, was charged pinch 2 obstruction offenses for providing mendacious and misleading statements to authorities investigating nan murder. The obstruction offense, for illustration Ritter's, carries a maximum punishment of 20 years successful prison, while nan count charging him pinch lying to national investigators carries a maximum punishment of 5 years, nan U.S. Attorney's agency said. 

Ritter changeable Doe  connected Aug. 4, 2019 "because of her existent and perceived gender identity," prosecutors allege. Ritter past allegedly misled authorities investigators astir his whereabouts connected nan time of nan murder, and Pinckney "concealed from authorities investigators" that he had utilized his compartment telephone to telephone and matter Doe nan time of nan murder. Pinckney besides allegedly lied astir seeing Ritter aft he murdered Doe. 

According to nan Human Rights Coalition, Doe was recovered dormant from gunshot wounds successful a car parked successful a driveway and was nan 15th transgender personification to beryllium murdered successful 2019.  Friends and family remembered nan 24-year-old arsenic "the champion to beryllium around." 

Data from nan non-profit Everytown for Gun Safety found that nan murders of transgender group astir doubled from 2017 to 2021. In 2021, 56 transgender group were killed, a 93% summation from 2017. 

Guns were utilized successful 73% of nan cases, according to nan data. Black transgender women were recovered to beryllium nan group astir astatine risk, accounting for astir three-quarters of nan known victims. However, Black group dress up conscionable 13% of nan transgender community.

In general, transgender group were recovered to beryllium 2.5 times much apt to acquisition violence. 

"Bias-motivated crimes are a real, frightening problem successful nan United States, and LGBTQ+ group proceed to beryllium targeted because of who they are," nan Everytown study said.

In:
• Shooting
• Shooting Death
• Transgender
• Murder
• Hate Crime