Trans suspect accused of killing Pennsylvania officer was earlier released without bail by leftist nonbinary judge

Editor's Note: This story has been updated.

A transgender suspect has been arrested over the fatal stabbing attack of a Pennsylvania State Police officer on a popular recreation trail outside of Pittsburgh on Monday. The suspect identified as Anthony Alexi "Antonia" Quesen, 25, of Pittsburgh, was previously arrested in June 2023 on felony robbery charges but was quickly released without bail by leftist nonbinary judge Xander Orenstein of the Magisterial District Court. Quesen skipped all further arraignments for that case and allegedly went on to kill.

Quesen, a biological male who identifies as a woman, was taken into custody Monday evening on criminal homicide charges. He is being held at the Allegheny County Jail awaiting arraignment, police said. The victim, identified as 44-year-old Benjamin Brallier, was a Liquor Enforcement Officer for the Pennsylvania State Police Department.


Pictured: Victim Benjamin Brallier, left, suspect Anthony Quesen, right

Quesen allegedly stabbed Brallier to death around 2:52 pm on Oct. 21 along the Montour Trail in Moon Township. Police responded to reports of an injured male victim. Upon arrival, officers located Brallier suffering from several stab wounds to his back, upper chest, and left hand, per the complaint. First responders transported Brallier to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Detectives with the Allegheny County Police Department's Homicide Unit are heading the investigation at the request of Moon Township Police, according to a press release from the Allegheny County Police Department.

The Montour Trail, a privately owned and operated multi-use recreational trail, is located roughly 12 miles west of Pittsburgh and spans about 47 miles. Police located an abandoned yellow bicycle and a multi-colored bag after following a blood trail where the victim was found. After obtaining a search warrant, detectives located Quesen's photo identification inside the bag, authorities said.

According to the complaint, police arrested Quesen a few hours later near the entrance of the Montour Woods Conservation Area. Police observed blood stains on Quesen's clothing, and cuts to his hands. The suspect allegedly made a comment to investigators about a stabbing on the trail, police said.

In June 2023, Quesen was quickly released from custody without bail by Judge Xander Orenstein over a felony robbery case that occurred at Point State Park. Quesen skipped all court dates after his release and has been wanted by police ever since, as reported by KDKA Radio's Colin Dunlap.

Judge Xander Orenstein, who has a history of releasing violent repeat offenders without bail, was barred from all arraignment hearings in April after the court reprimanded him for his frequent decision to release defendants accused of serious felony offenses. Orenstein, a Democratic Socialist, appears to be the first official nonbinary judge elected to the bench in the United States. He replaced Judge Tony Ceoffe in the Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court in 2021.


Pictured: Judge Xander Orenstein of the Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court. Credit: Instagram


Pictured: Judge Xander Orenstein of the Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court. Credit: Instagram


Judge Xander Orenstein was endorsed by Pittsburgh Democratic Socialists of America


The male suspect's Facebook page shows that Quesen identifies as a female. He has "female" listed as his preferred gender and is seen in several photographs wearing women's clothing, including a multi-colored bra top. Quesen's Facebook page can be found under the profile name "Ant Quesen."



Screenshots from Quesen's Facebook page



Screenshots from Quesen's Facebook page and Instagram account

Brallier was an active runner and his wife told investigators that she believed he went to the trail to exercise before he was attacked and killed, the complaint states. Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the attack.