An 18-year-old Highland Park man has been charged with a hate crime in connection with the killing of a 28-year-old transgender woman of color whose beaten body was found behind a laundromat in Detroit.

According to a press release from the Wayne County Prosecutor's office: Christina Hayes of Taylor was assaulted and robbed of her money and cell phone at about 4:30 a.m. on June 21. Later that day, at about 3 p.m, police were summoned to a laundromat in the 17600 block of Woodward in Detroit. They found her body in the alley behind the building. She had injuries on her neck and face.

An investigation by the Detroit Police Department led to the Aug. 15 arrest of Malique Javon Fails. He was arraigned Monday, Aug. 18 in 36th District Court in Detroit. The charges: felony murder, larceny from

See Full Page