The family of Andrea Doria Dos Passos, a transgender woman who was found beaten to death in Miami Beach, is speaking out after her alleged killer, Gregory Fitzgerald Gibert, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Dos Passos, 37, was discovered outside the Miami City Ballet with injuries to her face, head, and chest. Surveillance footage showed Gibert striking Dos Passos with a metal pipe before walking away and throwing it in a trash can. When Gibert was arrested, he was wearing the same blood-stained shoes and shorts seen in the video.
Dos Passos’ stepfather, Victor Van Gilst, revealed that she had been struggling with mental health issues for years and that he had last spoken to her two weeks before her death. He initially feared it could have been a hate crime due to Dos Passos being transgender. Advocacy groups, including the Human Rights Campaign and the Flamingo Democrats, have called for a hate crimes charge to be added to Gibert’s current second-degree murder charge. However, Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones stated that there is no evidence suggesting Dos Passos was targeted because of her sexuality or gender.
During Gibert’s court appearance, Miami Dade Judge Mindy Glazer expressed her belief that there was probable cause for a more serious charge, such as first-degree murder, based on the facts in the arrest affidavit. Van Gilst voiced his disappointment in the system, feeling that his stepdaughter was failed by it and expressing that nobody deserves to die in such a brutal manner. The family is devastated by Dos Passos’ tragic death and is seeking justice for her.
The arrest affidavit detailed the horrific injuries Dos Passos had suffered, including trauma to her face and head, a puncture wound in her chest, and wooden sticks lodged in her nostrils. The footage showed Dos Passos arriving at the scene and laying down before being attacked by Gibert. Detectives found the metal pipe used in the attack inside a trash can and Gibert was apprehended wearing the same clothes with apparent bloodstains on them. Dos Passos’ family is struggling to come to terms with her untimely and violent death.
The Flamingo Democrats have joined other advocacy groups in calling for a hate crimes charge to be added to Gibert’s case, while Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones has assured that the case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Dos Passos’ stepfather emphasized that she was dearly loved and that her tragic death has left a void in their lives. The family is mourning Dos Passos’ loss while seeking justice and closure for her senseless killing. Gibert’s arrest and subsequent charges have brought some relief to the family, but they are aware that their long journey to seek justice is far from over.
