Miami Beach Police have arrested a man in the beating death of a transgender woman whose body was discovered near the Miami City Ballet Tuesday morning.
Gregory Fitzgerald Gibert, 53, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder in the killing of 37-year-old Andrea Dorias Dos Passos, police said Wednesday.
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Dos Passos' body was discovered in the area of 22nd Street and Liberty Avenue, near the Miami City Ballet, after an employee "observed what he believed to be a person sleeping outside... near the main entrance," Gibert's arrest report said.
Once police and fire rescue arrived on the scene they pronounced the victim deceased.
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Trauma and blood were observed on the victim's face and head, according to the report.
Detectives obtained video surveillance that showed the victim arriving at the scene around midnight.
According to the police report, some hours later, a man approached the victim as she was sleeping. In the video, he can be seen grabbing some type of metal pipe from the ground and hitting the victim in the head and face several times.
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"The male is then seen standing over her, striking her and then manipulating her body... then walks away and places the pipe inside a nearby trashcan," read the report.
Police were able to locate the suspect, identified as Gibert, and take him into custody.
When Gibert was taken into custody, he was wearing clothing seen in the surveillance footage that had what appeared to be bloodstains, the report said.
Records showed Gibert had just been released from prison on April 17 after having spent more than a year in Miami-Dade custody, including for mental evaluations. He was given four years felony probation after being charged with attempted armed robbery with a weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, records showed.
Police said Gibert refused to cooperate with investigators so a motive for the killing was unknown.
"No evidence alludes to the fact that this was a hate crime. The evidence does not allude to the fact that the defendant targeted the victim based off her sexual orientation and or her gender," Miami Beach Police spokesman Christopher Bess said. "What we do know is that the offender was a very violent individual and should not have been on our streets.”
Gibert also refused to show up in bond court Wednesday and remains behind bars.
Dos Passos' stepfather said he was devastated by her loss.
"I do not know if Andrea had an interaction before with this suspect and it was a revenge case, or this was a total random act. I do know that she had no chance, she was sleeping,” Victor Van Gilst said. "I think that the system let her down. At this moment I also have the feeling that I let her down."
Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones released a statement Wednesday on the case.
"This senseless loss of life deeply saddens our entire community, and my thoughts are with Andrea's loved ones during this difficult time," the statement read, in part. "At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that Andrea was targeted because of her sexuality or gender. However, we understand the concerns within the LGBTQIA+ community, and I want to emphasize that MBPD is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all our community members."
The Miami City Ballet & Museum closed for the rest of the day Tuesday due to the incident.
"I used to go to ballet classes right here when I was a child. I just feel like it’s getting increasingly more scary to be a woman," resident Daniela Tabbara said.
"This remains an open investigation and as the judicial process unfolds, we are committed to collaborating closely with the State Attorney's Office," police said in a statement Wednesday.
