Pleas possible in murder of trans woman

The District Attorney’s Office earlier this month offered plea agreements to two people charged with the murder of a local transgender woman.

Details about the plea agreements extended to Tiffany Floyd and Jose Pena were not available as of presstime. The two are charged with the February murder of Maya Young.

According to court dockets, Floyd is listed to enter a possible guilty plea while Pena’s defense provided a counter-offer to the D.A.’s proposal. 

Pena’s docket stated, “The Commonwealth is considering the defense counter offer” but he is also listed for a possible guilty plea or trial scheduling. 

Cameron Kline, spokesperson for the D.A.’s Office, declined to comment about the plea deals due to the case being active. Floyd’s and Pena’s attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. 

Hearings for Pena and Floyd will be held in courtroom 1105 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St., at 9 a.m. Jan. 26 and Feb. 9, respectively.

On Feb. 20, police responded to a “stabbing on the highway” near 4900 Griscom St. in Frankford and found Young suffering from stab wounds to the neck and chest. Officials pronounced her dead at 12:21 a.m. Feb. 21 at Aria Health Frankford. 

Police arrested Floyd and Pena later that month. 

On June 7, they appeared in court separately to hear evidence against them. According to Pena’s statement, Floyd told him of an ongoing fight between her and Young over a man and that Floyd asked for his help in killing Young. He said both defendants met Young at a park in Frankford where Floyd and Young smoked crack. Pena said Floyd stabbed Young and after the victim fled, Floyd asked Pena to “finish” Young or she would have him killed.

“It was my life or hers,” Pena said in the statement. 

Meanwhile, Floyd contended she did not plan to kill Young and that Pena followed the victim on his own after the initial stabbing.

Floyd is currently in custody at Riverside Correctional Facility while Pena is in Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.

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