A man has been arrested and accused of committing a heinous crime, as he is believed to have fatally assaulted a transgender woman using a pipe near Miami City Ballet.
Gregory Fitzgerald Gibert, 53, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder in the tragic killing of 37-year-old Andrea Dospassos, as announced by police authorities on Wednesday.
Man Beats Transwoman to Death Near Ballet Studio in Florida
The remains was found on Tuesday morning by a security guard at the ballet studio. At first, the guard mistook her for someone who was "sleeping" near the main entrance and attempted to wake her.
As per the arrest report provided by CBS, it was noted that emergency responders observed signs of trauma and blood on the victim's face and head, with a sweater partially wrapped around the head. The individual passed away at the location.
A video captured Dospassos, identified as a trans woman by her stepfather, arriving at the ballet premises close to midnight and taking a rest near the entrance. During the early morning hours, an individual arrived, surveyed the area, and noticed her presence.
Based on the police, the suspect was seen wearing a black shirt, red shorts, and red shoes. During the incident, he briefly left the scene, retrieved a metal pipe, and subsequently came back.
After exploring the area, he found a spot to rest on a bench near Dospassos. According to police, he allegedly assaulted her while she was sleeping, repeatedly striking her in the head and face.
Based on the arrest report, the individual in question proceeded to walk away and discreetly disposed of the pipe in a nearby trash can. The pipe was later discovered and retrieved from the same trashcan.
Authorities observed multiple injuries on the tranwoman's face and head, along with two wooden sticks found in her nostrils and a puncture wound on her chest.
Suspect Arrested
The suspect, Gibert, was successfully located and apprehended by the police. He was dressed in the same attire as shown in the footage, with noticeable stains that appeared to be blood.
During the alleged incident, Gibert was on felony probation, having previously faced charges of attempted armed robbery with a weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to records from the Miami-Dade Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Dospassos's stepfather revealed that she had been grappling with mental health issues for a significant period and was unfortunately without a home at the time, as reported by CBS.
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