Man Charged in Murder of Camila Guzman

DNAinfo.com reported late on Wednesday, Aug. 17, that police have arrested a Brooklyn man in connection with a transgender woman’s murder inside her East Harlem apartment earlier this month.

Equan Southall, 25, allegedly stabbed Camila Guzman on Aug. 1. DNAinfo.com reported that Southall and Guzman, who emigrated from Chile in 2001, had been dating for four months. The National Coalition of Domestic Violence Programs most recent report indicated a 15 percent increase in domestic violence incidents in LGBT relations in 2009—and a 50 percent increase in domestic violence-related homicides from 2007 to 2009.

“As a community we must openly and honestly discuss this problem and create an environment where victims of domestic violence can access the support they need to be safe,” said Sharon Stapel, executive director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project.