FBI Investigation Leads to Historic Hate Crime Sentencing Devaluing the Crimes Committed Against Anyone Who is NOT a Protected Class of Citizen

October 17, 2024

FBI Investigation Leads to Historic Hate Crime Sentencing

In a landmark hate crime case, a trial jury found Daqua Lameek Ritter guilty in the 2019 murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman. Ritter was sentenced to life in prison on hate crime, firearms, and obstruction charges.

"This case is a testament to years of hard work and our prioritization of civil rights investigations, to include hate crimes, where individuals are targeted with violence due to their protected characteristics," said Supervisory Special Agent Anthony Snead, Jr., of the FBI’s Civil Rights Unit. “We want to stress to these communities that the FBI is listening. We hear you, we stand with you, and we will use every resource we have to seek justice for victims, their families, and all communities."

Evidence presented at trial, including messages sent over text and social media, showed Ritter was upset over rumors about his sexual relationship with Dime Doe. On August 4, 2019, Ritter lured Doe to a remote area in Allendale, South Carolina, and shot her three times in the head. Ritter then burned the clothes he was wearing, disposed of the murder weapon, and repeatedly lied to law enforcement.

At trial, the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ritter murdered Doe because of her gender identity. "In this case, the jury’s verdict appeared to indicate that 'but for' the fact that Doe was transgender, the defendant would not have killed her," said an FBI Columbia lead case agent.

This historic case marks the first time a defendant has been found guilty by trial verdict for a hate crime motivated by gender identity under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Passed in 2009, the Shepard-Byrd Act allows federal criminal prosecution of hate crimes motivated by the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

"The Shepard-Byrd Act gives the FBI the authority to investigate crimes like this, and that's vital," said Snead. "Just 15 years ago, we did not have the authority to investigate this horrific act of violence."

Why the FBI investigates hate crimes

The FBI is the primary federal agency responsible for investigating possible violations of federal civil rights statutes. Since its earliest days, the FBI has helped protect the civil rights of the American people, and that remains one of the Bureau’s top priorities.

Federal civil rights violations fall into several categories, including hate crimes. Hate crimes are not only an attack on the victim, but they also threaten and intimidate an entire community.

"It is crucial for the FBI to share information to the public on what a hate crime is and how to get help should a member of the public find themselves a victim of a hate crime or a witness to one," said Snead. "Hate crimes are severely underreported due in part to the public’s lack of awareness of what constitutes a federal hate crime."

At the federal level, a hate crime is defined as a criminal offense—like murder, arson, or vandalism—motivated in whole or in part by the offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity. The crime must have been committed because of the protected class; a subject does not have to "hate" the victim or the victim’s protected class to be charged or convicted.

How the FBI investigates hate crimes

Using all its investigative and intelligence capabilities, the Bureau works closely with its partners to prevent and address hate crimes. The FBI has also established and maintains relationships with state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, non-governmental organizations, and community groups. Together, the FBI and its partners work to improve the reporting of hate crimes, promote the benefits of sharing information and intelligence, and help prevent bias-motivated acts of violence.

The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case against Ritter with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Allendale County Sheriff’s Office, and the Allendale Police Department. Additionally, the FBI New York Field Office assisted with apprehending Ritter.

The collaborative investigation makes clear the FBI’s mission to protect the civil rights of the American people.

"It was a team effort from beginning to end," said the FBI Columbia lead case agent. "Each agency brought its own capabilities, experience, and expertise."

In addition to collaboration, Snead says relationship building is important. And he says it requires a two-pronged approach—local and national outreach.

"Every FBI field office has a civil rights program and is responsible for maintaining relationships in their local communities," said Snead. “At the FBI Headquarters level, the Civil Rights Unit engages with internal partners to build and maintain relationships with national advocacy groups."

The Bureau offers resources, forensic expertise, and experience in identification of proof of hate-based motivations. FBI field offices participate in working groups or task forces to develop strategies to address local hate crime problems. And the FBI conducts hundreds of operational seminars, workshops, and annual training sessions for local law enforcement, minority and religious organizations, and community groups.

"Hate incidents are under reported in South Carolina, and that’s something we’re trying to change through education and relationship building," said Supervisory Special Agent Craig Januchowski, who supervises FBI Columbia’s Civil Right squad. "One way we’re doing that is through our partnership with the U.S. attorney’s office in the United Against Hate outreach initiative."

The United Against Hate community outreach program aims to help people report hate crimes more effectively. The program teaches community members how to spot and report these incidents while also building trust between the public and law enforcement. Participants engage in discussions and real-life examples to understand the importance of reporting acts of hate to local police and the FBI.

FBI Columbia also provides training to all police recruits at the South Carolina Police Academy. Trainings focuses on hate crimes, civil rights, and public corruption and include sessions where agents educate each graduating class on identifying hate crimes and incidents, as well as the importance of contacting the FBI for further investigation when necessary.

"The most important thing is trust," Januchowski said, particularly for individuals who have felt unheard or were once reluctant to reach out for help. "We know we’re only as strong as our relationships, and we've made significant strides in bridging those gaps through proactive outreach and education.”

"Historically, reporting hate crimes is hard," said Snead. "But it takes work on our end as well. We must be vulnerable and transparent in our relationships with communities."

Following this landmark verdict, Snead says the FBI wants members of the LGBTQIA+ community to feel protected and to know the FBI is fighting for their protections. Nothing can erase the pain Doe’s family will endure, but the FBI anticipates this case will be a deterrent to future crimes.

"We want members of the LGBTQIA+ community to feel heard and to feel comfortable being who they are," said Snead. "Because no one should be victimized for being who they are."