DPD makes arrest in murder of transgender woman found in White Rock Lake
DALLAS - Dallas police have made an arrest in the murder of a transgender woman who was found in White Rock Lake earlier this month.
Late Thursday night, Dallas police announced 22-year-old Ruben Alvarado was arrested for the murder of Chynal Lindsey, a transgender woman whose body was found floating in White Rock Lake on June 1.
Thursday’s arrest happened 19 days after Chynal’s body was pulled from White Rock Lake.
Alvarado’s family members say he is not capable of killing. But Chynal’s family members say detectives told them the evidence links Alvarado to her murder.
Tamaya Lindsey got a call Thursday evening from a detective. It was a call she hoped for but hated to answer. The detective told her Ruben Alvarado from Mesquite had been charged with killing Chynal.
“And I’m like, ‘Are you sure it’s the right person?’ And she said they were sure based on the evidence that they had. They were sure,” Tamaya recalled. “And I said, ‘Can you please ask him why?’”
Police say Alvarado was arrested and taken to DPD Headquarters on Thursday for questioning. He asked for an attorney and refused to answer any questions.
“I would like to know what was the motive behind this,” Tamaya said. “What could this person have been so angered by to take my little cousin’s life in such a such a violent way?”
Chynal’s body was retrieved from White Rock Lake on June 1. Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall at a previous news conference would only say she was the victim of homicidal violence. Police scoured Chynal's social media and searched cell phone records that led to Alvarado.
Maria Jose Figueroa, Alvarado's sister-in-law, told FOX 4 she doesn't believe the 22-year-old would hurt anyone, let alone kill someone.
“He's just a really sweetheart person. Like you wouldn't even imagine that from him,” she said. “I believe in my heart that he's not capable of hurting anybody. Whosever out there that did it, I hope it comes to light because everything that’s done in the dark comes to light.”
Alvarado had no previous criminal record.
“You have another kid sitting in jail that just chose to take somebody’s life,” Tamaya said. “So not only did he impact so many people in our family, he just impacted his entire family as well.”
DPD had previously named Kendrell Lyles as a person of interest in Lindsey's murder. He was arrested on June 5 for the alleged murder of Muhlaysia Booker, another Dallas transgender woman.
Alvarado is being held in the Dallas County jail and charged with capital murder. His bond is set at $500,000.
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