Few clues in transvestite murder
DALY CITY — An introverted man, Eddie Chung Chou Lee often dressed in
woman's clothing and made money turning tricks in San Francisco and
Oakland. He had few friends, police say, something that makes it all the more
difficult to find his killer.
"We're looking at all possibilities. It could be a john. It could
have been a unhappy customer," said Daly City Police Detective Gregg
Oglesby. "We don't have enough at this point to focus in on just one
suspect or motive."
Lee was discovered stabbed to death on Feb. 28. A utility worker
called police after finding his body lying in an easement on the west
side of Westlake Park, over the fence from Lee's Cliffside Drive
home.
Investigators ruled out robbery as a possible motive afterfinding
cash and other items on Lee's body. He was dressed in women's
clothing, and there was no evidence he had been sexually assaulted.
Police know little else about Lee's death.
Information scarce
Interviews with his few friends haven't yielded much, and all of
Lee's family lives in Hong Kong. Detectives have contacted men who
they suspect were Lee's customers, but they have been reluctant to
talk.
"A lot of the people haven't come out the closet, or are married and
have family, and they're not willing to even identify themselves,"
said Lt. Jay Morena, commander of the detective division.
"We've run this case to the ground," he said.
Detectives have looked at Lee's computer, phone records and address
books and attended an April press conference held by Community United
Against Violence, which fights violence against the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender community. There, they gave a synopsis of
the case and asked for information.
Tina D'Elia, director of the group's hate violence program, said
Lee's murder bears all the marks of a "pickup crime" — where someone
picks up a person with the intention of hurting him or committing a
crime against him.
But unlike when other pickup crimes have occurred against the LGBT
community, there are no family members getting involved in the case
or holding a press conference to plead with the public to come
forward.
"From the beginning, it's felt like an uphill battle," D'Elia
said, "just because a lot of people haven't called me to tell me
personal stories about Eddie Chung Chou Lee."
Profiler coming
Next week, a profiler from the state Department of Justice is coming
to Daly City to look over the case and may give detectives a new
perspective, Morena said.
"We don't like to bury cases here at the Daly City Police
Department," Oglesby said. "This case has been frustrating, but we
don't want to give up yet."
Police ask anyone with information about the case to call the
department's at 991-8119 or the tip line, 991-AIMS. Callers can
report information anonymously.
Staff writer Amy Yarbrough covers police and public safety. She can
be reached at (650) 348-4339 or ayarbrough@sanmateocountytimes.com.
DALY CITY — An introverted man, Eddie Chung Chou Lee often dressed in
woman's clothing and made money turning tricks in San Francisco and
Oakland. He had few friends, police say, something that makes it all the more
difficult to find his killer.
"We're looking at all possibilities. It could be a john. It could
have been a unhappy customer," said Daly City Police Detective Gregg
Oglesby. "We don't have enough at this point to focus in on just one
suspect or motive."
Lee was discovered stabbed to death on Feb. 28. A utility worker
called police after finding his body lying in an easement on the west
side of Westlake Park, over the fence from Lee's Cliffside Drive
home.
Investigators ruled out robbery as a possible motive afterfinding
cash and other items on Lee's body. He was dressed in women's
clothing, and there was no evidence he had been sexually assaulted.
Police know little else about Lee's death.
Information scarce
Interviews with his few friends haven't yielded much, and all of
Lee's family lives in Hong Kong. Detectives have contacted men who
they suspect were Lee's customers, but they have been reluctant to
talk.
"A lot of the people haven't come out the closet, or are married and
have family, and they're not willing to even identify themselves,"
said Lt. Jay Morena, commander of the detective division.
"We've run this case to the ground," he said.
Detectives have looked at Lee's computer, phone records and address
books and attended an April press conference held by Community United
Against Violence, which fights violence against the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender community. There, they gave a synopsis of
the case and asked for information.
Tina D'Elia, director of the group's hate violence program, said
Lee's murder bears all the marks of a "pickup crime" — where someone
picks up a person with the intention of hurting him or committing a
crime against him.
But unlike when other pickup crimes have occurred against the LGBT
community, there are no family members getting involved in the case
or holding a press conference to plead with the public to come
forward.
"From the beginning, it's felt like an uphill battle," D'Elia
said, "just because a lot of people haven't called me to tell me
personal stories about Eddie Chung Chou Lee."
Profiler coming
Next week, a profiler from the state Department of Justice is coming
to Daly City to look over the case and may give detectives a new
perspective, Morena said.
"We don't like to bury cases here at the Daly City Police
Department," Oglesby said. "This case has been frustrating, but we
don't want to give up yet."
Police ask anyone with information about the case to call the
department's at 991-8119 or the tip line, 991-AIMS. Callers can
report information anonymously.
Staff writer Amy Yarbrough covers police and public safety. She can
be reached at (650) 348-4339 or ayarbrough@sanmateocountytimes.com.
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