Herman Burton (KYW)

PHILADELPHIA (CBS/KYW) Police arrested a transgender prostitute believed responsible for the death of a Thorndale, Pa. man whose body was discovered a week ago Saturday after a fire at an upscale hotel in Philadelphia's historic district.

Authorities say Herman Burton, who identifies himself as woman and goes by the name Peaches, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder in connection with the death of 49-year-old Patrick Brady, according to The Philadelphia Daily News.

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According to police, Brady had been robbed, beaten, and strangled. Police say his eighth-floor hotel room was then intentionally set ablaze by the 22-year-old Burton to cover the crime, according to CBS affiliate KYW. The blaze forced evacuation of the entire 14-story Omni Hotel, but it was quickly contained.

Surveillance video from the hotel shows Brady checking into the hotel Friday evening.

"Sometime between Friday evening and Saturday morning, he [Brady] led an unidentified male into his room. For whatever reason, there was an extreme physical altercation inside of the room," said Philadelphia homicide captain James Clark Thursday.

That male was later identified as Burton at a police news conference, reports KYW.

Burton reportedly had the victim's cell phone, credit cards and identification in his possession when police arrested him in downtown Philadelphia, reports The Philadelphia Daily News.

Brady worked in the information technology department at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and would sometimes stay at the hotel instead of commuting back to his home in Chester County, located about 50 miles from Philadelphia.



