Englewood man charged with murder of transgender partner

CHICAGO - An Englewood man is charged with first-degree murder for stabbing the individual he was in a relationship with on Monday night, according to prosecutors. The man's attorney's argued it was an argument and the man acted in self defense.

The incident reportedly happened around 11:46 p.m. on Monday, July 11, in the 5700 block of S. Damen in the Englewood neighborhood.

Officers initially responded to a call of a domestic battery where they discovered a victim in their 30s on the porch with multiple stab wounds to the neck and chest area. According to initial arrest reports, the Chicago Fire Department pronounced the victim dead at the scene and that witnesses were very uncooperative with police.

Police charged Daniel Burley, 31, of the 5700 block of S. Damen Avenue, with first-degree murder in the case. He was taken into custody two days later when Mr. Burley turned himself in to the 2nd District Station at 51st and Wentworth.

In bond court today, prosecutors stated the victim was 30-year-old Marquell Newman, a man identifying as a woman, who had allegedly been in a 5-year relationship with the father of four.

Prosecutors further described that, Monday evening, the pair were at the defendant's grandmother's house when they went into the backyard and began arguing. At some point during the argument, the victim was allegedly stabbed in the neck and the chest area and was losing a lot of blood.

The defendant called 911 to report that they and the victim were playing with knives when there was an argument and a fight. On that same phone call, the victim could be heard on the call telling the defendant, "you stabbed me...you killed me." At that time, the defendant hung up the phone.

Chicago Police dispatchers attempted to call back and no one answered for several tries. Eventually someone answered and the defendant got back on the phone and stated they did not know how the person was "poked" and alleged that the victim had attempted to climb a fence with a knife in their hand and may have stabbed themselves.

Detectives later discovered a neighbor's security camera footage on which they saw, during the time between the phone calls, it appeared to show a figure bend down over a sewer grate in an alley behind the home. Detectives returned to the alley and found a bloodied knife inside the sewer grate.

Burley's lawyer argued the incident was indeed a fight and a case of self defense. He further stated that Mr. Burley's behavior on the phone calls and after the incident was that of a man who was scared of the very situation he now found himself in - being charged with murder.

According to the defense, Mr. Burley had previously taken out an order of protection against the victim due to an attempted break-in at a residence where Burley was living at the time.

Burley was held without bail.

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