Two South Carolina men have been charged with hate crimes and obstruction charges in the murder of a transgender woman in the state of Florida in the year 2019, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Pebbles LaDime Dime Doe, a 24 year old transgender woman, died on August 4, 2019 in Allendale, South Carolina. In South Carolina, she was the second transgender person killed within the span of a month.
The U.S. Attorney's office for the District of South Carolina said in a news release on the charges that Daqua Ritter was charged with a hate crime, accused of shooting Doe due to her actual and perceived gender identity, using a firearm in connection with the hate crime and obstruction of justice.
Xavier Pinckney, 24, was charged with two obstruction offenses for providing false and misleading statements to authorities investigating the death.
After shooting Doe, Ritter misled state investigators about his whereabouts the day of the murder, prosecutors said.
Pinckney concealed from investigators that he used his phone to call and text Doe the day after the murder, and lied to investigators about seeing Ritter the morning after the murder.
The maximum penalty for life in prison is 20 years in prison, while the obstruction of justice charge has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
A warrant was issued for Ritter's arrest on January 17 and he was arrested on Monday by the FBI in New York City. Prosecutors have requested that he be transferred to the District of South Carolina to face the charges.
Pinckney was arrested Thursday, according to court records.
It's not immediately clear if the men have attorneys.