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3 Transients Charged In Hollywood Stabbing Death Of Lynwood Woman

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Three transients suspected in the stabbing death of a woman who allegedly took their picture near a popular Hollywood tourist attraction have been charged in connection with her murder.

Dustin James Kinnear, 26, was charged with murder, while Jason Joel Wolstone, 33, was charged with assault by means likely to produce bodily injury and two counts of accessory after the fact.

Thirty-four-year-old Brian Joseph Widdows was charged with two counts of accessory after the fact.

Police received a call shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday night about a female who was assaulted in front of an American Eagle store at 6801 Hollywood Blvd., according to the LAPD.

Investigators believe the victim, Christina Calderon, of Lynwood, was walking outside the Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex with a male friend when they saw three men who were holding signs and panhandling.

The LAPD Olympic Homicide detectives' investigation revealed Calderon and her friend took photos of the men with their cell phones, a dispute ensued and Calderon was stabbed in the torso.

The suspects were apparently upset that Calderon took the picture and demanded she give them $1 for doing so, officials said.

Calderon was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Three suspects located near the scene were arrested and booked for murder, officials told KCAL9.

Kinnear, Wolstone and Widdows are scheduled to be arraigned Friday in downtown Los Angeles.

Calderon's mother, Yolande Tassin, told KCAL9 she believes her daughter was a victim of hate crime.

She said one of the men came at her daughter with a knife while the other two men held her friend back from stepping in to help.

"Her friend was not touched. They went after my daughter, because of the way she looked," she said.

"She did nothing wrong, she was taking pictures. She likes Hollywood."

Tassin said her daughter had a big heart and was pursuing her dream career.

"She came a long way in a short time... she wanted to be an engineer," Tassin said.

Authorities would not confirm if the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.

(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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