Witnesses told law enforcement officials that Doe and Ritter were in a sexual relationship during the period leading up to her death. Ritter tried to keep the relationship secret because he didn't want his girlfriend or the community to know about it, according to court documents.
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Prosecutors said Ritter was upset as word spread about his relationship with Doe in Allendale. Ritter became “angry” after Doe went public with their relationship, and several of his friends made fun of him because of it, the documents say.
Witnesses said he threatened to harm Doe as a result.
Ritter had picked up Doe and was pulled over by an Allendale County sheriff's deputy for speeding. The deputy's body camera video showed Ritter's “distinctive” jeans, as well as a tattoo and scar on his arm, according to court documents.
Ritter then lured Doe to a remote area of Allendale and shot her three times in the head, prosecutors said. He then burned the clothes he was wearing, disposed of the murder weapon and repeatedly lied to investigators, according to federal prosecutors.
Transgender people are four times more likely than cisgender people to experience violent victimization, including rape, sexual assault, and aggravated or simple assault, according to a 2021 study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.
Joshua Kendrick, one of Ritter's defense attorneys, said there are inconsistencies in the government's case.
He pointed to text messages that showed “a lot of respect and calm nature” that did not match up with prosecution witnesses who told investigators they were aware of Ritter's threats of violence.
“I felt like we pointed out a lot of inconsistencies, and the jury didn't agree,” Kendrick said Saturday. “They reached a ruling that we respect, even though we are disappointed with it.”
