“I am proud to be me I am proud to be trans I am beautiful I don't care what people think.”
On 3rd September 2017, Ally Steinfeld was just 17-years-old when she was brutally murdered in Texas County, Missouri at the hands of people she knew. That day, Ally was at the mobile home of her new girlfriend, Briana Calderas (24), where she was confronted and attacked by Andrew Vrba (18) when the two were alone.
In May - just four months prior to her death - Ally had come out as trans on Instagram with the following statement: “I am mtf [male-to-female] I hope all u guys support me.” By August, Ally had got into a relationship with Calderas, and they had been together for just a few weeks when Ally was killed.
Vrba - who later stated “I loved him like a brother” when discussing his friendship with Ally in court - had already been searching how to kill somebody quickly and painlessly in advance. He initially attempted to poison Ally, but instead stabbed her repeatedly after she refused to drink. According to a statement made within court documents, her eyes had been gouged out and she had sustained multiple stab wounds to the genitals. However, the presiding judge ruled that there was no sufficient evidence to prove this actually took place.
Vrba then enlisted the help of girlfriend Isis Schauer (18) and friend James Grigsby (25) to help dispose of Ally’s body. Schauer and Calderas then travelled to Walmart together to gather disposal supplies, while the two boys remained at the house to hatch out a plan. Ally was then thrown onto a fire, which Vrba confessed he had to keep alight for two nights and a day, and her burned remains were afterwards discarded into a bag. Police were later able to locate the bag, which had been hidden inside a chicken coop.
Ally’s parents filed a missing person’s report on 14th September, after they had not heard from her for a few weeks. Police began to question those known to her, and Vrba did not attempt to withhold any information when interviewed. Instead, he made the following statement about Ally: “I had no choice. I killed him... He threatened to kill my baby, grandmother, her grandmother, Isis’ grandmother, Briana’s children, and he raped Briana in front of me." However, there is no evidence which backs up these claims. Vrba also maintained that Briana Calderas had wanted Ally killed, and therefore he had also done it for her. However, Calderas denied this, despite receiving a text from Vrba telling her the murder was successfully done.
According to data published by the Human Rights Campaign, Ally Steinfeld was recorded as the 21st trans person killed in the United States during 2017. However, despite the particularly heinous and premeditated nature of Ally’s death, Texas County law enforcement did not deem the murder a hate crime. Missouri is actually one of the 17 states which have expanded its hate crime laws to encompass victims who have been targeted based on their gender identity, but this legislation has rarely been put into practice.
All four defendants, pictured above with names, were found guilty. Andrew Vrba was sentenced to life without parole, while Briana Calderas and Isis Schauer were sentenced to 8 years and 20 years imprisonment respectively. James Grigsby was also sentenced to 4 years in prison for his involvement.
According to the victim’s mother, Amber Steinfeld, Ally was very happy with Briana and was excited to soon introduce her to the family. The death penalty was not sought, at the request of Ally’s family.
