Bloodbath after San Francisco prostitute is asked for refund by unhappy customer

A San Francisco sex worker was found guilty of manslaughter over the gruesome death of an unhappy customer, who asked for a refund after she completed her task. 

Leniyah Butler, 21, was convicted on Monday of voluntary manslaughter after being acquitted of murder in the second degree by a federal jury over the shooting death of Hamza Walupupu, 32. 

Walupupu was killed in the early morning of November 12, 2023, in Crissy Field - right near the Golden Gate Bridge - after he picked up Butler from the Tenderloin District in a Hyundai Accent. 

After performing a sex act on the victim, Walupupu asked Butler for a refund and to get out of his car, which led her to shoot him once in the eye with a gun she kept in her purse, The Sacramento Bee reported. 

After killing him, Butler dragged her client's body out of the car before stealing it and driving to Hunter's Point, where she 'tried to wipe away the fingerprints and DNA' before 'scattering the physical evidence, including the murder weapon,' the U.S. Attorney's Office said. 

While covering up the evidence in the case, Butler asked her mother to help her, according to court documents obtained by San Francisco Public Safety News. 

The victim's stolen car was later found by police days later, as Butler allegedly got rid of all his belongings, wiped it down clean and disposed of the gun to an unnamed person. 

A week after that, her home in Excelsior was raided by FBI agents, leading her to jump out a second-story window before being arrested in a neighbor's garage on November 20, per San Francisco Public Safety News. 

The transgender sex worker, born Christopher Butler, was indicted as Leion Butler and used the name Leniyah Butler during her trial which started on March 17. 

In an advert on social media, Butler, who went by 'Yasmine' as her professional name, posted risqué photos of herself, telling prospective clients that she wanted them to 'feel my lady stick inside you.' 

She also told them to not 'try negotiating my set price' and that 'all the unnecessary questions are uncaused and unwanted.' 

Medical history that was submitted during her pretrial also revealed that Butler had HIV, according to San Francisco Public Safety News. 

After learning of her diagnosis, which was kept from the jury, Butler obtained a gun, the outlet said. 

During her time with Walupupu, he told Butler 'he wanted more,' to which she told him she was transgender. 

After learning that, the 32-year-old asked Butler for his money back, but she refused. 

Butler then worried that she would be left 'stranded' and 'cold as f**' if left in the middle of the field, and believed Walupupu should 'take her back to where he picked her up,' the outlet reported. 

He then tried to get out of his car, but as he did so, Butler pulled the trigger on a .38- handgun. 

After driving away around 6.12am that day, Walupupu's body was found by someone on an early morning walk. 

Security camera footage then captured Butler parking the victim's car at Hunter's Point at 6.37am, the outlet said. 

The footage also caught Butler and her mother Leslie Blueford cleaning the car after she pulled up to meet her daughter in a black Jeep Commander. 

Shortly after that, investigators discovered an array of internet searches on Butler's phone, including pornography, and information on Crissy Field - where she left Walapupu's deceased body. 

The FBI also obtained footage of a 'heavy set adult black female' driving the victim's car on Kiska Road. 

Jailhouse calls, that were also presented during her trial, revealed Butler had no remorse for murdering her client that morning. 

'I don’t think I should say sorry to nobody ‘cos, b****, I don’t feel sorry for smoking him ‘cos he tried it,' she told family members in the phone calls, reported San Francisco Public Safety News. 

In other calls Butler sounded like she regretted what she did, as she said: 'I really apologize for anybody that I hurt, but my life was in danger and I felt like I needed to defend myself at that moment or it would have been me.' 

She also said: 'I deserve freedom. I deserve happiness. I deserve to be with my family.' 

This is not the first time Butler has been in trouble with the law, as court records, obtained by the outlet, revealed that she pepper-sprayed and punched multiple people just 17 days before the murder. 

During this incident, Butler sprayed mace at police officers and civilians during a Pride celebration. 

She also sprayed a security officer and employee after stealing from a CVS store, court documents said. 

Butler then sprayed another person who tried to prevent her from fleeing from the car she was being transported in. 

She also punched a retail store employee she was trying to steal from, as well as a bus passenger she was trying to pickpocket, records show. 

U.S. District Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, spoke directly to Walupupu's family, and commended the FBI's 'swift actions' throughout the case. 

'We extend our sincere condolences to the victim’s family, whose son and brother was taken from them prematurely, and hope today’s verdict brings some measure of justice,' Robbins said. 

'We commend the swift actions of the FBI agents, who promptly and thoroughly investigated this case from the moment the victim’s body was found in the Presidio.'

The victim's family was present throughout the trial, but did not show up for the reading of the verdict, according to The Bay Area Reporter. 

Shortly after his murder, Walupupu's family created a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral costs. 

'He touched the lives of so many and it’s our turn to give back to his family in their time of need,' the page read.  

Butler is currently being held in custody with her sentencing hearing set for June 27.