An 18-year-old man from Highland Park has been charged with felony murder, larceny from a person, and a hate crime with gender identity bias in connection with the June death of 28-year-old Christina Hayes, a transgender woman from Taylor, Michigan.
On June 21, 2025, at approximately 3 p.m., Detroit police discovered Hayes’s body in an alley behind a laundromat on the 17600 block of Woodward Avenue. She had sustained visible injuries to her face and neck.
Prosecutors allege that around 4:30 a.m. that same day, the defendant, identified as Malique Javon Fails, paid Hayes for sexual services. Upon learning she was transgender, he allegedly strangled her to death. He then took back the money he had given her, stole her phone and shoes, and fled the scene. Security footage reportedly captured him attempting to sell her phone at a kiosk.
Fails was arrested on August 15, 2025, following a Detroit Police Department investigation, and was arraigned three days later in 36th District Court before Magistrate Joseph Boyer, who deemed him a “significant danger to the community.” The probable cause conference is set for August 26, 2025, and a preliminary examination has been scheduled for September 2, 2025.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy stated that this case reflects a continued pattern of violent attacks and murders targeting trans women of color. She stressed that every resident of Wayne County deserves to live safely and firmly vowed, “We will bring the alleged murderer of Christina Hayes to justice.”
During the arraignment, Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Steve Vincent described how evidence suggests Fails discovered Hayes’s transgender identity before the killing. He also noted that Fails removed the money from her shoe and stole her phone before fleeing.
This tragic case is a painful addition to a disturbing trend of violence against transgender women, especially women of color. Many such murders follow similar circumstances involving sexual encounters and are rooted in transphobia.
Efforts by organizations like Fair Michigan Justice Project underscore the persistent threats faced by LGBTQ+ communities. Prosecutor liaison Julisa Abad has repeatedly called for vigilance and community engagement to prevent and respond to these crimes.
Past cases include the 2023 murder of Ashia (Asia) Davis, a 34‑year‑old Black transgender woman found dead in a Highland Park hotel room, and the 2022 killing of Dede Ricks, a 33‑year‑old Black trans woman shot at her Detroit home. These and other incidents reflect ongoing challenges in ensuring accountability and protection for transgender individuals.
