Post by Scumhunter on May 24, 2021 1:06:27 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: ajc.com)
From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (ajc.com):
A teenager is wanted on a murder charge in the shooting that killed a transgender woman in Brookhaven earlier this month.
Police announced Pedro Silva-Renteria, 18, of Norcross is wanted in the homicide of 36-year-old Sophie Arrieta Vasquez. She was found dead May 4 after being shot multiple times in her apartment off Windmont Drive.
Investigators said she was killed around 2 a.m., and her body was discovered about six hours later in the doorway of her apartment at The Atlantic Brookhaven. Police have not released a specific motive, but they do not believe it was a hate crime.
“Investigators believe that they know the motive and circumstances surround the murder and nothing in our investigation suggests that the incident was related to the victim’s gender,” Lt. David Snively told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “However, it would not be appropriate for us to share that information until we confirm our understanding of the case by speaking with the suspect directly.”
A GoFundMe page, created by her sister, has raised more than $7,100 for funeral costs.
Police said they obtained arrest warrants for Silva-Renteria last Tuesday, adding that fugitive investigators have been working to take him into custody over the past week. However, authorities are now asking for the public’s help to find him.
Silva-Renteria is 5-foot-10 and weighs approximately 180 pounds, according to a news release. Police said he was walking in the Clairmont Road area of Brookhaven at the time of the May 4 homicide, adding that he might not have a vehicle.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 404-637-0600 or submit an anonymous tip to the Crime Stoppers hotline at 404-577-8477.
www.ajc.com/news/breaking-18-year-old-wanted-in-shooting-death-of-transgender-woman-in-brookhaven/JQHXEXN3R5D47A3HXNK2AMFPPA/
Thoughts? As far as I can tell, Silva-Renteria is still at large as of this posting date (May 24th, 2021), since the above article is from only a week ago and there's been no updates about any arrests that I could find online since.
And yeah I mentioned in the Robert Newt fugitive thread I posted earlier tonight that I rarely criticize police in fugitive cases, but one of the times I do is when it comes to what I feel is they still seem heistant to acknowledge transgender murders and hate crimes. Nearly 95 percent of the transgender murder cases we've profiled the police comments are well we don't know the motive we don't know if this is a hate crime and the lack of acknowledging it at least COULD be bugs the hell out of me. However, in this case, Brookhaven police seem to indicate that they know the exact motive- even though they're not releasing it- and that this isn't hate-crime related, so I'll take them on their word and also have faith they are doing all that they can to locate Silva-Renteria.
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