Teenager acquitted of murdering transvestite

Kellie Telesford

According to the Met Police press release, on November, 21, 2007, officers in Thornton Heath responded to reports of concerns from friends for the occupant of 81 Leander Road, Thornton Heath.

After arrival and forced entry they found the body of the 40-year-old who was pronounced dead at the scene.
The release also went on to say that a post mortem conducted at the Mitcham Mortuary the following day revealed that death was caused due to strangulation.

Shanniel Hyatt, 18 of Northborough Road, Norbury, was subsequently charged with Telesford’s murder.

The trial had begun on August 1, 2008 and, according to the prosecution, Hyatt’s motive for the murder came after Telesford performed oral sex on him and he became angry after discovering that she was a transsexual.

Hyatt was also accused of stealing several items from Telesford’s flat including her mobile phone, Freeview box, DVD player and Oyster card, which he used to take the bus home.     ~~Adz:Right~~

Hyatt’s defence lawyer, Joanna Greenberg, insisted that when her client left Telesford’s flat she was alive and well and that her death probably came about during a kinky sex game with another man after her client had left.

Greenburg told the jury to consider alternate explanations for Telesford’s death because the transgendered woman was accustomed to taking home men she had only briefly dated for sexual encounters and was “quite good” at concealing her gender from them.

Hyatt, a father of one, had only met Telesford hours before ending up in her South London flat and bed. She was found strangled three days after their meeting.

Although off the hook for murder, Hyatt is being held on a separate immigration matter.
Telesford had been born Kayiode DEXTER-Telesford, but at the time of her death had been living as a trans-woman for a number of years.

She was a former florist and beautician.