PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia man has been convicted of first-degree murder and related offenses for the stabbing death and dismemberment of a transgender woman five years ago.
On June 8, 2020, the upper body of 27-year-old Dominique Rem’mie Fells was found floating in the Schuylkill River. She had been stabbed more than 40 times in the torso. Three days later, her legs were found in a trash bag on the banks of the river.
According to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, Fells had been with Akhenaton Jones two days prior inside a residence along Powelton Avenue. Two others were also with them until Jones and Fells went into a bedroom.
The two came back later and found Fells dead on a bed. Blood, spewed everywhere. At the scene, investigators recovered a knife, an electric saw, and a white hazmat suit, all of which they say were covered in blood. Jones' DNA was on all of the items.
Surveillance video caught Jones taking out a trash can and bag filled with her remains before getting in a white van and driving to the river.
Two trials later, Jones, 42, has been convicted of first-degree murder and related charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September.
Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski has been on the case since the beginning. She says the truth as to why Jones committed the crime may never be known.
"I think it's one of the most savage and personal and hateful crimes I have ever seen to stab her 40 times. I can think of nothing more hateful,” Toczylowski said.
Terry Fells Edmonds says justice has been served, but it doesn't take away the pain of losing her daughter.
"Today, our family gets back their time. Time to heal. Time to grow beyond this experience. Time to learn how to live again.”
The ADA says even though the crime was full of hate, it could not have been charged as a hate crime. In Pennsylvania, LGBTQ+ individuals are not covered by the hate crimes statute; it is about race and race alone.