Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Angel Naira was 36 when she was found dead in her Aliquippa apartment from multiple gunshot wounds in late November 2021.

On Friday, Pennsylvania State Police announced that they’ve arrested and charged 46-year-old Darese Darrel Raines on homicide and weapons charges. He’s being held in the Beaver County Jail without bond.

From KDKA

According to the criminal complaint, a suspect matching Raines’ description was caught multiple times on video surveillance in the area of Murray’s apartment on Nov. 9, 2021, the day of the shooting. Police later reviewed phone records, which linked Raines to the scene, and found DNA at the scene belonging to Raines that placed him in the apartment before the killing, the district attorney said.

Raines was interviewed by authorities in May 2022. He claimed he didn’t know Angel. No further details have been released regarding motive or where Raines has kept himself this past year and some change. Has he hurt anyone else? How are we not asking this?

Angel was the fourth trans BIPOC neighbor killed violently in Southwestern PA during 2021. In February, 24 year old Chyna Carrillo was murdered by a man she was dating in New Wilmington, Lawrence County. The following week 22 year old Jasmine Cannady and their 16 year old brother Jeffrey ‘JJ’ Bright were murdered by their mother in Ambridge.

Just six weeks later on New Years Day 2022, Black Trans Woman Amäriey Lèį (Myara) was shot to death in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County.

This span of 11 months has been the most violent period of time on record for the trans community in this region. The man who killed Chyna was killed on the scene by a law enforcement officer. Jasmine and JJ’s mother took their lives and is serving a life sentence. She remained on the scene and was arrested immediately.

Now we should be asking the Allegheny County District Attorney about Amäriey Lèį (Myara) as well as monitoring the criminal proceedings in Beaver County. Both Raines and the as-of-yet unidentified person who killed Myara present homicidal threats to the trans community and the general population as well. It was disgusting listening to Beaver County District Attorney David J. Lozier obsess about giving Krisinda Bright the death penalty, but say nothing about Angel’s murder.

Some media outlets are deadnaming and misgendering Angel. She did also use the nickname “B” … I hope her friends and family and the trans and queer community in Aliquippa feels some peace after this arrest.

To be honest, I had no idea Aliquippa and Beaver County law enforcement were so underequipped that they relied on the State Police to pursue this investigation. Beaver County is rural, but not THAT rural. It shares a long border with Allegheny County.

Once again, rest in power Angel.

Your friends and neighbors are pouring out their heartfelt grief over your death and sharing so many wonderful memories. You deserved the chance to create so many more memories. I am sorry that we failed you.

May your memory be a revolution.