Transgender prostitute charged in strangling

Police have arrested a 22-year-old transgender prostitute in the killing of Patrick Michael Brady, the Chester County man who was strangled last weekend in his Old City hotel room.

Brady had checked into the Omni Hotel at Fourth and Chestnut Streets on Friday night. In the early hours of Saturday morning, Brady, 49, let 22-year-old Herman Burton, who police said dresses and identifies as a woman, into his eighth-floor room.

There, police said, a fight broke out between the two.

"The only thing we know," Philadelphia Capt. James Clark said Thursday, "is that, for whatever reason, there was an extremely physical altercation."

Burton, of Southwest Philadelphia, beat and strangled Brady, Clark said. Shortly before 10:30 a.m. Saturday, police said, Burton set the room on fire, possibly hoping to cover evidence of the murder, and left with Brady's cell phone, credit cards, and ID.

Police took Burton into custody Tuesday night near 12th and Spruce Streets in Center City. Burton, of the 2400 block of South 63d Street, is charged with murder, arson, and related offenses.

Burton has a record of arrests for prostitution, robbery, and violent offenses. She has served time for promoting prostitution and is currently on probation for that charge, according to the records.

Clark, the commander of the Homicide Unit, would not say whether Burton gave a statement to detectives.

Brady, who lived in Chester County with his wife and 9-year-old daughter, worked at Jefferson University Hospital. Neighbors and friends have described him as fun-loving, outgoing, and kindhearted and have reacted with shock to the news of his death.

Brady sometimes stayed overnight at the Omni instead of commuting home, as he did Friday night. At some point after Brady checked in, a surveillance camera at the Omni filmed Burton entering the hotel alone, said Clark.

Burton was "let in" to Brady's room, Clark said, and there were no signs of forced entry.

Police said they didn't know why Burton arrived at Brady's door.

When the two started fighting, it became loud enough that others in the hotel heard some kind of struggle, Clark said.

Brady's body was found Saturday morning after firefighters arrived to put out the small blaze, allegedly set by Burton, which was contained to the room.

There were signs of blunt-force trauma to Brady's ribs, face, and hands, Clark said.

Burton was still carrying Brady's cell phone, credit cards, and ID when she was arrested, Clark said. Burton used Brady's credit cards to make several purchases, he said, and was captured on surveillance cameras using the cards at several stores.

"As far as we're concerned, we have the killer," Clark said. "The case is closed."