A teenager who was allegedly murdered and mutilated by four people recently came out as transgender and had spoken about undergoing surgery to transition to a female.
Investigators found the charred human remains of 17-year-old Ally Steinfeld in a burn pit and in a bag inside a chicken coop near a mobile home in Cabool, Missouri last week.
Steinfeld, who was born Joseph, had her eyes gouged out and was stabbed in the genitals before her body was set on fire.
Four people have now been charged over Steinfeld’s death.
Investigators found the charred human remains of transgender 17-year-old Ally Steinfeld in a burn pit and in a bag inside a chicken coop near a mobile home in Cabool, Missouri last week
James Grigsby, 25, of Houston, Missouri, was charged Monday with abandonment of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Three others, including Andrew Vrba, 18, Isis Schauer, 18, and 24-year-old Briana Calderas, were earlier charged with first-degree murder and other counts.
The two women had told authorities that Vrba was allegedly responsible for gouging out Steinfeld’s eyes, stabbing her in the genitals and bragging about the killing.
Authorities have given no motive for the murder.
The victim’s sister, Ashleigh Boswell, told the News Leader that Steinfeld had come out as transgender earlier this year and had spoken to the family about undergoing gender-reassignment surgery one day.
Andrew Vrba, 18, (left) is allegedly responsible for gouging out Steinfeld’s eyes, stabbing her in the genitals and bragging about the killing. James Grigsby, 25, (right) was charged on Monday with abandonment of a corpse
Isis Schauer, 18, (right) and 24-year-old Briana Calderas (left) were also charged with first-degree murder and other counts
The family aren’t sure if Steinfeld’s gender identity was reason for the killing.
‘We honestly don’t understand why they done it,’ Boswell said. ‘It just don’t make any sense.’
Steinfeld has been described as ‘a very loving, outgoing person’ who ‘didn’t like conflict whatsoever.’
Texas County Sheriff James Sigman has said they did not consider the killing a hate crime.
Steinfeld’s family reported her missing on September 14. The family says she was last seen with three of the suspects. She was last heard from on September 1.
Investigators believe the death occurred on September 3, six days before Steinfeld would have turned 18.
Court records say Vrba admitted to killing Steinfeld at Calderas’ mobile home near and that the women admitted to helping dispose of the body.
The four accused are being held in the Texas County Jail with no bond.