The alleged transgender sex worker fatally shot a California man after being found guilty. The victim suffered a lethal gunshot wound after requesting a refund for sexual services upon realizing that the sex worker was transgender.
On Monday, 21-year-old Leion Butler (also known as Renya Butler) was acquitted of second-degree murder but was convicted in federal court of voluntary manslaughter. The trial took place in federal court due to the incident occurring on federal property.
"I'm sorry for killing him."
In San Francisco, Butler was found guilty of the shooting death of 32-year-old Hamza Walupupu on November 12, 2023, at Crissy Field East Beach Area.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California released a statement noting that Butler fatally shot a man who requested a refund "after engaging in sexual acts with the victim."
"Court documents and evidence presented during the trial indicated that Butler shot the victim once after he requested to exit the vehicle following the refund request," the statement said.
sfist reported that the shooting made Butler feel "out of her element" when speaking with police after Walupupu picked up Butler in a region known as "The Blade," located at the intersection of Tenderloin’s Mail Street and Polk Street, and drove her to a nearby parking lot. Upon asking for "more" after oral sex, Butler informed Walupupu that she was transgender, which prompted his frustration, leading him to demand his money back and instruct her to exit the vehicle.
The defense argued that Tenderloin’s "Blade" is recognized for its transgender sex workers.
It was claimed that a physical altercation ensued when Butler refused to leave the car.
The defense contended that Butler acted in self-defense during the deadly incident.
However, recorded phone conversations from jail suggest that Butler seems to express satisfaction over the fatal shooting. According to the San Francisco Chronicle.
When Butler claimed to have apologized for the shooting, she stated, "I said I apologized to the hurtful individual, but I felt that my life was in danger and I needed to protect myself during that moment, otherwise I wouldn’t believe it was me."
In another phone conversation with her mother, Butler reportedly stated, "I don’t believe I did anything wrong. I’m just a girl; I feel like I got what he deserved."
According to Bay Area Reporter, Butler’s defense attorney David Rizku claimed that the investigation was influenced by the shooter’s race and sexuality.
"The FBI, this federal government, didn’t even bother to care," Rizk said. "They [law enforcement] wouldn’t believe her because of who she is: a young, black transgender sex worker, unfortunately due to what he did to Mr. Butler, what he said to her, and how he treated her.
Walupupu was found dead in the parking lot.
Butler took the victim’s car and drove to the Bayview Hunter Point area on the eastern side of San Francisco, where she abandoned the vehicle after attempting to clean it and dispose of the murder weapon.
Prosecutors noted that surveillance footage connected Butler to the crime.
Butler’s sentencing hearing is set for June 27. If convicted, she could face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
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