New Jersey Prosecutors Announce Two Murders Now Investigated As Possible Bias Crimes; One Suspect In Custody; Manhunt On For Two Suspects For Murder Of Transgender Woman

According to a report in the New Jersey Star-Ledger, acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino says that two individuals murdered this year in Maplewood may have been attacked because of their sexual orientation, and authorities there are now investigating the separate incidents as possible hate crimes. 30 year old John Staten was arrested Tuesday and charged with the March, 2010 beating death of Arthur Downey. Laurino also announced that a “manhunt” is underway for two suspects in the shooting death of Victoria Carmen White, a 28 year old transgendered woman. “Sadly,” said Laurino, “in both cases that we are investigating, the possibility exists that the sexual orientation of the victims may have played a role.” White, a resident of Newark, was a professional lingerie model who legally changed her name to Victoria Carmen after undergoing reassignment surgery nine years ago. She was shot multiple times September 12th inside a Maplewood apartment, having met her alleged killers, 25 year old Marquise L. Foster and 23 year old Alrashim N. Chambers hours before at a night club in Irvington. Police believe that the 27 year old Downey met Staten the night he was murder, the two having allegedly talked “numerous times” on a gay telephone chat line less than 24 hours before agreeing to meet March 15th. Downey’s body was discovered the following day, dead from asphyxia and blunt force trauma. Staten is currently in custody charged with burglary, felony murder, murder, and weapon offenses, held on $1 million bail. Since the prosecutor’s bias crime unit is investigating, Staten, as well as Chambers and Foster stand to be charged with hate crime stipulations.