Pennsylvania Man Convicted for Gruesome Murder of Transgender Designer
A Pennsylvania man has been found guilty of stabbing a transgender fashion designer from Philadelphia, Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, over 40 times. This horrific act included amputating his leg and disposing of the body in the Schuylkill River five years ago, according to prosecutors.
Akhenaton Jones, 41, is now facing a mandatory life sentence for this brutal murder. This verdict was announced on Monday, highlighting the chilling nature of the crime, which occurred in June 2020. “This is one of the most savage, personal, and hateful crimes I’ve ever seen,” stated Deputy Assistant Director Da Ashley Toczylowski during a press conference.
Authorities revealed that on June 8, 2020, the body of Fells was discovered in a river in close proximity to a creek, showing signs of severe abuse. Her legs were later found packed in a garbage bag in the same waterway.
When investigators combed through Jones’s home, they found it stained with blood. The evidence included a knife, an electric saw, and a suit covered in blood, as reported by the prosecutors.
Further surveillance footage showed Jones removing a garbage bag from his home and putting it into a white van. He was also caught driving the van towards the river.
Jones and Fells had been friends for over three years, according to Jones’s attorney, Walter Chisholm. However, Jones claims another individual had committed the murder and forced him to assist in disposing of the body.
In the trial, he was found guilty of first-degree murder, possession of criminal means, and abuse of a corpse.
This conviction comes after an earlier trial in December was deemed invalid, as jurors concluded he was guilty of first-degree murder but couldn’t reach a consensus on the possession charge.
Sentencing is scheduled for September.
Fells was known for her artistic spirit and vibrant personality. A friend, Madeline Morrison, shared reflections about Fells’s creative endeavors shortly after the tragedy.
Since 2014, there have been more than 370 reported instances of fatal violence against transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals in the United States, as indicated by the Human Rights Campaign.
