The Cincinnati Police Department’s Homicide Unit and the Cincinnati Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit have arrested and charged Eugene Carlos Dukes,19, of killing of  Kendall L. Hampton, a transgender-nonconforming person who had “reportedly” had been involved in sex work.

Kendall Hampton’s body was discovered on On August 18th in the parking lot of a Cincinnati convenience store last Saturday, reported Fox 19. She was pronounced dead later that night at the city’s University Hospital. .

Cincinnati Police Department’s homicide unit continues their investigation into the murder but has not ruled Kendall’s murder a hate crime.  But The Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization is calling the murder a hate crime and believes the victim was targeted because of the shooter’s perception of Hampton’s gender identity and expression. “We at BRAVO believe that this incident underscores the importance for renewed discussion and action on hate crime against the LGBT communities,” said Gloria McCauley, executive director of BRAVO. In 2011, BRAVO documented over 111 reported incidents of anti-LGBT hate crime in Ohio.

Local news stations in Cincinnati have reported Kendall’s murder  posted with many problems including, referring to the victim as a “man” and using the pronoun, “he.” And with some stations tried to scrub all mention of sexuality from the report, while other Cincinnati news outlets sensationalized it in a negative way.

If anyone has any further information about the murder of Kendall Hampton please call 513- 352-3542 or text CINTIP and your message to CRIMES (274637). Callers can leave anonymous tips if they don’t want to provide their names.  Any information may also be sent via this link