A gang of five men have been charged in the New Year's Day death of a transgender rapper from Milwaukee.

According to JSOnline.com, the victim was known as Ebony Young, 22, and went by the rap name Yung LT -- Evon Young is the victim's birthname.

Young's mother reported him missing on Jan. 2, after he failed to show up at work and at a scheduled meeting. The victim's roommate told Young's mother and police that he witnessed Young enter a car on New Year's Day and never returned.

But after investigating further, authorities found that Young's roommate, Billy Griffin lied. Griffin, who was once in a gang, was told by former gang members that if he killed Young, he could rejoin. Ashanti McAlister, Victor Stewart, Ron Allen and Devin Seaberry took part in Young's murder. They suffocated, strangled and beat him before shooting him to death three times with a gun.

The five men are charged with first-degree intentional homicide. A defendant says he believed Young was a man and his transgender status had no role in the motivation for the homicide.

Watch Yung LT's 'Room Full' Video

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