Investigators Probe Death of 20 YO Georgia Man Dumped in Trash Bin

Thanks to Darian Aaron for calling this tragic story to our attention. The body of a 20-year-old black gay Georgia man was found in a rural dumpster and investigators have arrested a man in connection with the death. However the cause of death has yet to be established and homicide charges have not been filed. Yet.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: "Eric Riley, a 35-year-old truck driver, was arrested and charged with concealing the death of Lashon Lee Douglas Jr., 20, and tampering with evidence. GBI agents discovered  evidence Riley allegedly destroyed when they served a search warrant at his home in Box Springs. [Agents] would not describe the evidence or say how it was destroyed."

"The Pebblebrook High School alumni loved music and theater, and had just moved to Snellville to live with his mother and learn to become a hair stylist, his father, LeShon Douglas Sr. told the AJC."

Investigators discovered "Riley knew Douglas and was with him at some point during the weekend before his body was found," adds the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. There is some speculation this was an online hookup but authorities decline comment.

"Douglas was laid to rest last Saturday in Marietta, Georgia. Friends have created a Myspace page in his memory," reports Darian Aaron, who confirm Douglas was gay and "also went by the name Arielle Redd." Many of the well-wishers on the MySpace tribute are affiliated with the ballroom community.

Another young life cut short, this one discarded in a highway dumpster like trash. Lashon Lee Douglas Jr. deserved better.

Thanks DARIAN and JAM. Also our apologies for initially using the wrong photo.

 

Comments

[Greg G]

Good lord. What is our country and our community coming to?

What happened? Are there new leads?

[Winston Salem]

***"Eric Riley, a 35-year-old truck driver, was arrested and charged with concealing the death of Lashon Lee Douglas Jr., 20, and tampering with evidence***

So how exactly did he die? Do they think it was an accident or an overdose? Why isn't this man charged if they can prove the boy was at his home and he died there?

[TB]

Wow. Two tragic deaths on this blog in one day, but it seems this one happened a few weeks back.

My condolences and best wishes to the family. I am sure they are going through it right now.

[S. Flemming]

Jesus ...

[JAM]

Hey Rod, you actually have the wrong person pictured. The person pictured is still alive, and belonged to the same youth program as Lashon.

Okay, thanks much for alerting me! I've talked with Darian and am using his photo. -RM

[Shane Moseley]

Rarely am I speechless but some of the news of the day is just numbing.

Do we know if this was a hate crime possibly? Or gay bashing?

[aliia banks]

somebody cc that gaybashing fool mike huckabee/hickabee...

he keeps denying gay lynchings...

shame

peace
ab

[Aaron]

This is almost too much, especially on the heels of the story this morning. All the more reason for us to stand strong together and love and support each other.

[Ravenback]

This saddens my heart to no end. Since I was once a target of a gay bashing, I thank God everyday of my life that I was able to gain the upper hand and fight off my attackers. I wish that Lashon Lee Douglas, Jr. were able to do the same. My God welcome him in his warm glory.

The biggest increases in hate crimes is against homosexuals. I'm also getting an insight into the number of gay bashing incidents and murders being committed by our Black brothers. I shouldn't be surprised, but typically the media only covers these crimes involving Whites.

I don't know what more to say. Just be careful, be vigilant, and be prepared to take a life with you if this type of thing ever happens to you.

[Dluv]

Wow, this is horrible. What I want to know is did this guy lure him online to do this? We really need to take a look at the real dangers of these online hookups.

[max]

Have all these deaths and/or bashings of black LGBTs from the past few years been reported in the "mainstream" or white gay press? They only seem to care when the victim is not melanin-rich. However, if the victim is white AND the perp is black - talk about natinal outrage (along with all the fingerpointing about how homophobic "those people" are).

The white gays want blacks to work only to make their lives better. They don't care what goes on in the black communtiy; they don't serve us; the LGBT community is not unified. We have to fight these issues on our own.

[Stephaun Clipper Wallace]

Thanks for posting this Rod. I knew Leshon very well, as she was a part of my gay family as well as a member of my ballroom house. I was heartbroken when I received the phone call.

Stephaun Elite

[Anthony in Nashville]

Max, I think the white gay media has done a better job covering black LGBT hate crimes over the last year or so.

GayCityNews may be the only place I've seen follow-up coverage of the black gay man who was beaten in NYC a couple of years ago. I can't remember his name, but an article from a few weeks ago talked about his continuing health problems and issues he is having with housing.

White media isn't perfect but I think some of them are trying to do better.

You're talking about Dwan Prince. -RM

[Anthony in Nashville]

I hope this wasn't another online trick gone bad. There was a story from Texas maybe 2 weeks ago about a (white) gay guy murdered by someone he met online.

[Rod Mc]

Max, I totally understand where you are coming from, but am going to disagree with you on this one. This appears to be a case of a young black gay man killed by an older closeted black gay man he met online. I'm not sure what racism or lack of media coverage has to do with this.

First of all, this case was covered by all Georgia media, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WSB and WTVM, all quoted above. That's about as mainstream as you get.

Secondly, there is a very big difference between the editorial direction and audience "mainstream" news media versus specialty LGBT media. (And I've worked in MSM most of my adult life.) MSM generally reports stories for broad audiences.

Third, homicide investigations are usually solved in police labs, not in the newspapers. Reporters can bring awareness to a crime, but they can't solve it. I'd personally rather see more crimes solved than more publicity for certain cases, but that's just me. And in this case, police arrested a suspect.

Yes, mainstream gay media coverage is slanted toward white faces, just like mainstream media. And? That is the main reason why people come to blogs like this. On the other hand, some gay media does a very good with black LGBT victims, such as Gay City News and the Washington Blade.

Finally, there is the recent">http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6369532.html">recent case of Stephen Vogt, a white gay Texas man who was killed by a black gay man he met online. The MSM is not playing up the race angle and the larger gay (white) blogs such as Towleroad are not even reporting the race of the suspect. I've read about the case in MSM, gay media and blogs, and only saw the suspect's picture when watching news video. -RM