Transgender Murder Not a Hate Crime, Says Sheriff

Bobby May, sheriff of Arkansas's St. Francis County, says he believes the death of transgender woman Marcal Camero Tye is a routine murder case and not a hate crime. In an interview with FM 89 News, May conjectured that Tye had gotten involved in a late night sexual scenario with a stranger that turned deadly.

According to preliminary autopsy results, the 25-year-old Tye, who was born a man but had been living as a woman, was killed by a gunshot to the head. Shell casings found at the scene appear to corroborate this.

While early reports implied that the victim was dragged behind a vehicle by a rope or chain, Sheriff May says a more likely scenario is that Tye's body was caught underneath the vehicle and inadvertently dragged. Evidence suggests the suspect backed up in an attempt to dislodge it.

While the FBI has declined to comment on Sheriff May's statements, spokesman Steve Frazier says agents will continue investigating the case as a possible hate crime or civil rights violation.

Read the full story and listen to an interview with Sheriff Bobby May here.