The man charged with the murder of a transgender woman in a hotel that happened last week allegedly committed the crime while in the process of robbing the victim, according to the criminal complaint filed by the L.A. County District Attorney's Office.
Stephen Gonzales, 28, was arrested last week for the murder of 26-year-old Vanhxay Inthichac in a hotel in the 13900 block of Francisquito Avenue. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday morning, according to Shiara Davila-Morales, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office.
Inthichac was identified by the County Coroner's Department as male, but on Monday a local transgender advocacy group and a national publication identified her as a transgendered female named Melony Smith. Davila-Morales confirmed to Patch Tuesday that Smith was indeed a transgendered woman.
She also wrote in an email to Patch that the District Attorney's office does not have any evidence that suggests the murder was carried out as a hate crime.
The complaint, which can be viewed above, also indicates that Gonzales served a prison sentence for previous felony convictions, listed as causing bodily harm while evading a police officer in a vehicle and a vandalism charge.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information since originally posting.
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