A man has been arrested in connection
with the murder of transgender activist Viccky Gutierrez.
Gutierrez died last week in a fire Los
Angeles police described as “suspicious.” According to the Los
Angeles Blade, detectives have changed the status of their
investigation to murder. While the coroner has yet to confirm the
identity of the deceased, transgender activist Bamby Salcedo,
president of the TransLatin@ Coalition, organized a vigil for
Gutierrez in Los Angeles.
“It is with deep sadness, rage and
pain that I have to share with all of you that one of your sisters
was brutally murdered in #southlosangeles last night,” Salcedo
wrote in a Facebook post.
The LAPD-FBI Fugitive Task Force on
Thursday night arrested Kevyn Ramirez, 29, in connection with
Gutierrez's murder.
“Ramirez has admitted to
investigators that he killed the victim after a dispute,” the LAPD
said in a press release.
A motive has yet to be determined.
Ramirez is being held on $2,000,000 bail. His first court appearance
is scheduled for Tuesday.
Salcedo told the
Blade
that she was impressed with the quick results.
“Overall, they did a great job,”
she said.
Salcedo also set up a GoFundMe
page to raise money to help Gutierrez's family with expenses.