The motive for the murder of a man found dead Tuesday morning in an Oak Lawn apartment was robbery, according to Dallas police.
Sr. Cpl. Kevin Janse, a spokesman for DPD, said in an e-mail Thursday afternoon that investigators don’t believe the victim’s sexual orientation was a factor in the crime.
“The motive in this case is robbery,” Janse said. “There is no indication that this was a hate crime. His sexual orientation does not play into our investigation.”
The body of 33-year-old Sheldon McKnight was found at the Oaklawn Heights Apartments in the 2600 block of Arroyo Avenue. The apartment where McKnight was found had been set on fire. It’s unknown whether McKnight was gay.
Ricardo Beltran, 18, and Victor Ramos, 19, have been arrested and charged with capital murder in McKnight’s death. Each was being held on a $1 million bond.
Beltran and Ramos were arrested after they wrecked the victim’s car late Wednesday morning.
8 Comments
Isn’t it odd how hate crimes….NEVER seem to happen in Dallas?
Yes that’s right, everytime a gay person is murdered by a straight person it’s a hate crime.
There seems to be an increase in crime in our area lately? What’s up with that? Do we need more police in the area or do we need more effective police patrolling the neighborhoods. There have been several robberies/break-ins in my neighborhood over the past month and it’s making me uneasy!
There are only two types of hate crimes in Dallas: (1) Injure or kill a police officer and (2) rob a donut shop.
Typical. Typical. Typical. Heterosexual police classify the brutal murder of a gay person a robbery. This happens all the time; heterosexual police don’t take the murder of a gay person serious so they charge these haterosexual killers with less severe charges. The robbery was an afterthought. These heterosexual killers went to Sheldon’s apartment to kill him because he’s gay, PERIOD.
well personaly i know Victor and Ricardo i use to chill with them and know it wasnt a hate crime they hit licks or robberys all the time not to robb gay people but to just make money i know Victor didnt do this but ricardo allready had a murder case i also knew the victim and his cousin and didnt deverse this but my heart feels for Victor becase i know he wouldnt or couldnt do any thing like this and ricardo took this to far like they say u kill once u kan do it again R.I.P Sheldon Good luck Victor and Ricardo i Just dont know ….
Dam and i used to go to elementary school with Ricardo but idk what happend to him……
OMG- some how I end up at this Court Room-Trial of Beltran by mistake, I say OMG- because it was so tragic tragedy. I could no believe what was going on, in that court room. What i can say this case was no a robbery, hate crime, or for been gay. I was there was 5days it was proven, and how this man die was a lot to think of, mentioning all he was involved in to…… And fell so terribly sorry for those young guys, especially Beltran for what really happen and what he went trough. Don’t blame them at all. I hope he can get all the help he can get once his sentence is over. For the decease God may have him in his Glory and forgive them all.