Jury convicts boyfriend of killing trans partner in Milpitas
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A Santa Clara County jury on Wednesday convicted a Milpitas man for the murder of his transgender partner.
Elijah Cruz Segura, 25, of Union City, was found guilty of the 2021 stabbing slaying of Natalia Smüt, a celebrated drag queen, prosecutors said in a news release.
It is believed to be the first prosecution of transgender domestic violence homicide in Santa Clara County.
Segura will be sentenced in January.
He faces a maximum of 16 years-to-life in prison.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said that domestic violence against the transgender community is tragically underreported and misunderstood, much like domestic violence was decades ago.
"Domestic violence of all kinds hides in the shadows of our community," Rosen said in a statement. "We as a community will shine a light on it, fight against it, and work to help victims find empathy, safety, shelter, and justice."
On April 23, 2021, Milpitas police officers responded to Hillview Court to find that Smüt had been stabbed multiple times.
The jury found that Segura was responsible for the stabbing. The two had been dating for several months.
Prosecutors said Smüt's killing caused pain and shockwaves throughout the Bay Area community.