Roommate of LGBTQ+ Rights Activist Found Dead in Landfill Charged with Murder

LEON COUNTY, FL — (04-19-22) — The former roommate of LGBTQ+ rights activist, Jorge Diaz-Johnston, whose body was found in a Florida landfill in January, has been charged with first-degree murder.

According to the indictment, Steven Yinger, who had been living with Diaz-Johnston at Diaz-Johnston’s home in Tallahassee, allegedly strangled Diaz-Johnston and left his body in a trash pile at the Baker landfill in Jackson County back in January.

Prosecutors also allege that Steven Yinger, 37, allegedly used Diaz-Johnston’s BMW, iPhone, cash and identity, according to the indictment. He faces charges of first-degree murder, grand theft, tampering with evidence, and criminal use of personal identification information.

Diaz-Johnston’s husband, Don Diaz-Johnston, told NBC Miami that his husband had taken Yinger in as his roommate after the couple separated. The married couple had been trying to work things out when Jorge Diaz-Johnston – the brother of former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz – was murdered, said Don Diaz-Johnston.

“It was shocking and horrifying to find out and as I said I still haven’t come to terms with the fact that my life has been turned completely upside down and ended all of our hopes and plans,” Don Diaz-Johnston told NBC Miami last week. “To now be a part of this and have our marriage end this way is something we never saw coming and still frankly can’t accept.”

Jorge and Don Diaz-Johnston became nationwide stars along with four other same-sex couples who in 2014, sued the Miami-Dade County clerk’s office after they were denied marriage licenses.

Article by: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer

Sign Up Below for #JRLCHARTS Breaking News and Follow @JRLCHARTS Daily on Twitter