Arrest in Transgender Murder Case in Queens

A man was arrested in Las Vegas and is being held on a charge of second-degree
murder, being accused of strangling a transgender woman who was
found dead
in her apartment in March.

Rasheen Everett was returned to New York City Wednesday, after police found him in Las Vegas last Friday, according to WINS News. Authorities say Everett, 29, met Amanda Gonzalez-Andujar (pictured) in a chat room shortly before she was killed. According to surveillance camera footage, he came to her apartment and left after 17 hours with bags full of her possessions.

Witnesses told Queens district attorney Richard Brown they heard loud bangs and screams moments after his arrival early on March 27. Gonzalez-Andujar's body was found facedown and doused with bleach in her Queens apartment March 30.

If convicted in Queens criminal court, where he awaits arraignment on Thursday, Everett faces 25 years in prison.

Gonzalez-Andujar worked as a prostitute, according to The New York Times. However, investigators say they are not sure whether this has anything to do with the motivation for her murder.

Police initially responded to a call of a "male not breathing." They later changed the description to reflect that Gonzalez-Andujar was transgender.