Daqua Ritter Charged in Hate Crime Murder of Trans Woman Dime Doe

Daqua Ritter, 26, of Allendale, South Carolina, has been indicted on federal hate crime charges for the August 2019 murder of transgender woman Dime Doe, a brutal killing that federal prosecutors say was fueled by prejudice against her gender identity. The five-count indictment unsealed in Columbia charges Ritter with committing a hate crime resulting in death, using a firearm during the offense, and obstructing justice by lying to investigators about his whereabouts the day of the shooting.

Doe, a transgender woman known in her tight-knit community for her resilience and presence, was shot to death on August 4, 2019, in what authorities now allege was a targeted act of violence. The indictment asserts that Ritter attacked and killed Doe specifically because of her actual and perceived gender identity — a charge that elevates the crime to the federal level under civil rights statutes. The hate crime count alone carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

In addition to the murder charge, Ritter is accused of actively misleading state investigators, attempting to cover his tracks in the hours and days following the killing. Investigators say he provided false information about his location and movements, directly interfering with the probe into Doe’s death. That obstruction charge, along with the firearm count, could add decades to any eventual sentence.

Xavier Pinckney, 24, also of Allendale, is charged with two separate obstruction offenses tied to the same investigation. According to the indictment, Pinckney lied to both state and federal agents about his interactions with Ritter after the morning of the murder. He also concealed that he used his phone to call and text Dime Doe on the day she was killed — critical evidence that could have accelerated the investigation.

Pinckney faces a maximum of 20 years on the obstruction counts and an additional five years on a separate charge of lying to federal investigators. Authorities say his actions hampered efforts to piece together the timeline of events and delayed justice for Doe and her family. The FBI’s Columbia Field Office led the investigation, with support from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), highlighting the interagency push to hold both men accountable.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner, and Elle Klein from the District of South Carolina, alongside Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. No trial date has been set. The indictment marks a rare federal intervention in a local hate-based homicide, signaling a broader effort to confront violence against transgender individuals in the Deep South.