Suspects wanted in Vermont murder of transgender man arrested

Burlington, Vt. (AP) — Four people wanted in the fatal beating of a transgender man at a Burlington homeless encampment were arrested in San Diego following a nationwide manhunt.

San Diego police Sgt. Michael Tansey tells The Burlington Free Press (http://bfpne.ws/20W60Hy ) that the four suspects wanted on suspicion of second-degree murder in the May 23 attack on Amos Beede were apprehended late Thursday.

Burlington police publicly identified the suspects as Erik Averill, Myia Barber, Allison Gee and Jordan Paul on Thursday afternoon.

Tansey says the group will be held until authorities in Burlington bring charges against them and seek their extradition from California. They have yet to be assigned attorneys who could comment.

Tips provided by Burlington police led San Diego detectives to the suspects, who were found at a park in the city.

Police said Thursday they had obtained murder arrest warrants for the four people. The two men and two women charged Thursday in the death of Amos Beede were last known to be in Roswell, New Mexico. One of the men was arrested there on May 31 on charges he assaulted one of the women but later was released.

Beede was attacked on May 23 at a homeless camp in Burlington, the state's largest city, not far from the Lake Champlain waterfront. He died on May 28.

Police initially said they were investigating whether Beede's gender identity contributed to his death, but there was no mention of that Thursday.

Beede's family posted a statement on the website of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer advocacy group Pride Center of Vermont that said contrary to earlier reports he was not homeless. The statement said Beede's being transgender was an important part of his life. It said he was a "friend to many" who went to the homeless camp to support others in need.

"Amos lived a complicated life," the statement said. "He had his share of hard times. Maybe because of this, he was a loving and caring person, especially to those who lived in the margins of society."

Compiled from AP dispatches. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Gayly – June 3, 2016 @ 7:30 a.m.