Detroit pastor charged with murder in shooting of 36-year-old transgender woman

Kelly Stough, a transgender woman, was brutally murdered on Friday morning. Now, as new details emerge, a Detroit pastor has been charged with her murder.

36-year-old Kelly Stough was murdered on Friday morning. A shooting near East McNichols and Brush in Detroit ended in her murder.

"She was loved. She had a lot of people who loved her. She just wasn't nobody." said her daughter Jessica Williams-Stough.

New details have emerged. According to reports, Albert Weathers has been charged with open murder and felony firearm.

Weathers is a local pastor. He appeared in court on Monday for arraignment and his bond was set at $1 million.

Kelly Stough was a well known transgender woman in the community. She was beloved in the LGBTQ community and aspired to be a designer and buyer in the world of fashion.

Investigators have not disclosed the motive or other details surrounding the murder. A source revealed that after the shooting, Weathers fled the scene.

He immediately went to work at the Great Lakes Water Authority. He waited an hour after the murder before calling the police claiming that someone tried to rob him and that he shot them.

Weathers lives in Sterling Heights. A source close to him revealed that he is married, has children and runs a regular church service.

The case will be judged by Special Prosecutor Jaimie Powell Horowitz of the Fair Michigan Justice Project (FMJP). The FMJP focuses on serious crimes against those in the LGBTQ community.

Fair Michigan President Dana Nessel said, “This case reflects the excessive brutality that members of Detroit’s transgender community constantly face. We thank the Detroit Police Department for their efforts to investigate the facts of this tragic crime.”

David Cripps will represent Weathers as his defense attorney. He says his client maintains his innocence and they will vigorously defend against the charges.