A Philadelphia man was convicted of killing a black transgender woman in 2020. The man was arrested as the prime suspect in the murder of a 27-year-old transgender woman. Here’s how Dominique Rem’mie Fells was brutally murdered and then dumped in the Schuylkill River.
Dominique Rem’mie Fells was found dead in the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. The corpse was reported to be floating in the water on June 8, 2020. Police reports reveal that only the woman’s torso was found initially. Upon further investigation, 40 stab wounds were found on the corpse.
The legs were found three days after the initial discovery. The legs were disposed of in a trash bag. During the investigation, two witnesses told the police that Dominique had last been seen with a man named Akhenaton Jones. When law enforcement arrived at the Jones’ home, they found blood all over the house.
A knife, which was the murder weapon, was found at the site. An electric saw and a white hazmat suit were reported to be found in the house. All of these items were covered in blood.
According to documents from the prosecutor’s office, Jones was seen carrying remnants of the body in a trash bag and a trash can. He used a white van to transport the corpse to the river, where he proceeded to dump it.
Some good news today, Police caught Akhenaton Jones in LA. Mr. Jones was a BLM and Transgender Rights supporter who murdered Dominique Rem’mie Fells a Trans Identified Male. Hopefully He’ll rot in jail. pic.twitter.com/X1TbHX5VHL
— Admiral Invalidator (@Artofhunger75) November 11, 2020
The man decided to run out of state by the time the police could acquire an arrest warrant. On November 9, 2020, Jones was found and taken into custody in Los Angeles. The investigation and conclusion that followed were swift. The police matched the man’s DNA with the DNA found at the scene. The DNA on the knife, saw, and hazmat suit all matched Jones’ DNA.
The prosecutor’s office has revealed that the man is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26. “The verdict last Monday brought justice for our daughter, but it doesn’t take away the pain of losing her,” the victim’s mother shared. She noted how Dominique’s family and she will continue to honour her.
Rest In Power Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells.💐♥️🖤
I’m sick of it all honestly.
I’m sick that this happens.
I’m so tired of having to do this.#BlackTransLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/e9xfeT7Es4
— 𝘢𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘺. (@MxAbdulAliy) June 12, 2020
Larry Krasner, who is the Philadelphia District Attorney, praised Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski for her “skillful prosecution” in the murder case that he described as “difficult and horrifying.”
A staggering statistic came to light after the brutal murder of Dominique Rem’mie Fells. Since 2014, over 372 cases of fatal violence have been observed against transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. A report by the Human Rights Campaign revealed that shockingly, around half of those individuals who suffered death were black transgender women.
