Man pleads not guilty to charges in transgender teen's death

October 26, 2017 at 5:50 p.m. | Updated October 26, 2017 at 5:53 p.m.

by Associated Press

This undated image provided by Amber Steinfeld shows her child, Ally Lee Steinfeld, a transgender teen whose birth name was Joseph Matthew Steinfeld Jr. The burned and mutilated remains of Steinfeld's body were found in a bag stashed in a chicken coop in the rural southern Missouri town of Cabool, last week. Three suspects were arrested on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, and another was arrested on Monday, Sept. 25.
This undated image provided by Amber Steinfeld shows her child, Ally Lee Steinfeld, a transgender teen whose birth name was Joseph Matthew Steinfeld Jr. The burned and mutilated remains of Steinfeld's body were found in a bag stashed in a chicken coop in the rural southern Missouri town of Cabool, last week. Three suspects were arrested on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, and another was arrested on Monday, Sept. 25.

HOUSTON, Mo. (AP) -- A 22-year-old southern Missouri man has pleaded not guilty to abandonment of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the killing of a transgender teenager whose body was burned.

The West Plains Daily Quill reports that 22-year-old James Thomas Grigsby, of Thayer, entered the plea after waiving formal arraignment Tuesday. Three others were charged with first-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Ally Lee Steinfeld.

Authorities identified the teen by her birth name, Joseph Matthew Steinfeld Jr., after her remains were found last month in the town of Cabool, near the mobile home of one of the suspects. Court records say her eyes were gouged out and she'd been stabbed in the genitals.

Grigsby is accused of hiding what appeared to be burnt human remains after the killing.

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