An Unsealed indictment released on Thursday shows two South Carolina men have been charged with hate crime and Obstruction charges in the murder of Pebbles “La Dime” Doe. The 24 year-old transgender woman died on August 4, 2019 in Allendale, South Carolina.
At the time, Pebbles was the second transgender person killed in South Carolina within the span of a month.
U.S. Attorney’s released the following statement:
A five-count federal indictment was unsealed charging two South Carolina men with hate crime and obstruction offenses, arising from the murder of Dime Doe of Allendale, South Carolina.
The indictment charges Daqua Ritter, 26, with a hate crime for the murder of Doe, a transgender woman, because of her gender identity; using a firearm in connection with the hate crime; and obstruction of justice. The indictment also charges Xavier Pinckney, 24, with two obstruction offenses for providing false and misleading statements to authorities investigating the murder.
The indictment alleges that on Aug. 4, 2019, Ritter shot Doe, a transgender woman, because of her actual and perceived gender identity. The indictment further charges Ritter with misleading state investigators about his whereabouts the day of the murder.
The indictment also alleges that Pinckney concealed from state investigators the use of his phone to call and text Dime Doe the day of the murder and lied to state and federal investigators about seeing Ritter after the morning of the murder.
The hate crime count against Ritter carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The counts charging Ritter and Pinckney with obstruction of justice carry a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment. The count charging Pinckney with lying to federal investigators carries a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment.
The FBI’s Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with the assistance of South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner, and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Daqua Ritter’s arrest took place on Jan. 17 and he was taken into custody by the FBI in New York City, court documents show.
Xavier Pinckney was arrested last Thursday, according to court records. It’s not immediately clear if the men have attorneys or have been assigned public defenders.
Article by: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer
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