Texas County, Missouri authorities are not describing the murder of a transgender teen as a hate crime, but the nature of his brutal murder would seem to indicate otherwise. Four arrests have been made thus far for the slaying of Ally Steinfeld, 17, formerly known as Joseph Steinfeld. Steinfield had only recently come out as being Transgender.
Andrew Vrba, 18, one of three people indicted by a grand jury for first-degree murder September 25, told Texas County authorities in gruesome detail about how he committed the crime, according to the probable cause statement, saying he gouged Steinfeld's eyes out and stabbed him in the penis multiple times in the living room of the Cabool, Missouri trailer home where Steinfeld was living with Briana Calderas, 24.
The stabbing became necessary, Vrba told the law enforcement officials after he attempted to poison Steinfeld's drink, but Steinfeld did not drink it. Calderas was also charged with Steinfeld's murder, as was Isis Schauer, 18.
Accused killers put transgender teen's corpse in blanket, burned it
In addition to the first-degree murder charges, Schauer was also charged with armed criminal action, while Schauer and Calderas were both accused of abandonment of a corpse. The probable cause statement indicates Vrba, Schauer and Calderas wrapped Steinfeld's body in a carpet, then took it outside, where they burned it. Some of Steinfeld's bones that did not burn were placed in a nearby chicken coop.
After Texas County authorities received word that Steinfeld had been missing since the beginning of September and was last seen with Calderas, Vrba and Schauer, the investigation quickly centered on Calderas' mobile home.
Calderas denied knowing where Steinfeld was but spurred on by cryptic Facebook messages between Vrba and Schauer. Deputies were able to collect enough evidence to bring them in for questioning. It did not take long for the suspects to begin telling what they know, according to the probable cause statement.
While Calderas insisted she had not wanted Steinfield to be killed, Vrba and Schauer both claimed she was in on the murder and Calderas was the one who told the deputies where they could find the knife.
Calderas and Schauer said Vrba bragged them about how he killed Steinfeld.
Search warrant uncovers transgendered teen's remains
Texas County deputies found the burned remains of Ally Steinfeld exactly where Vrba indicated they would be. A few days after the trio was arrested, a fourth person, James Grigsby, 25, was charged with abandonment of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Online Texas County Circuit Court records show the next hearing in Vrba's case is scheduled for October 3, while hearings for Calderas, Schauer, and Grigsby will be held October 10.
Texas County authorities say they do not know if it was a hate crime and if Steinfeld had been targeted because he was transgender. Steinfeld's sister, Ashleigh Boswell, said her brother talked to the family about someday having gender-reassignment surgery.
