Transgender teen’s killing investigated as possible hate crime

After a 17-year-old’s body was found partially decomposed in a wooded George County, Alabama area on June 1st, investigators are trying to determine if her murder was a hate crime.

Mercedes Williamson, a transgender teen from Theordore, went missing on May 30. Since her body was found, answers surrounding the teen’s murder have been hard to come by for the George County Sheriff’s Office.

“We’re trying to separate fact from fiction. There’s a lot of different rumors going around,” said Capt. Ben Brown, George County Sheriff’s Office.

What investigators do know is suspect Josh Vallum confessed to her father that he killed her and buried her body on his father’s property in George County. It didn’t take long for authorities to find the body and Vallum to turn himself in on June 2.

Vallum, 28, is a convicted felon and known to have connections to the “Latin Kings” street gang. But when it comes to his relationship with the victim, investigators are looking into every possibility and said what they find could lead to more charges.

“We are still trying to determine if it’s gang related, if it’s drug related, if it is possibly a hate crime,” said Capt. Brown. “We will send the evidence to the District Attorney’s Office and they’ll send it to the grand jury, which will determine which direction it goes and if more charges should be filed.”

If indicted and convicted on the murder charge, Vallum faces a life sentence. Vallum’s bond is set at 1-million dollars.

Meanwhile, investigators say they’re also awaiting the official autopsy report from the state medical examiner’s office.