Your assumption that race wasn't a prime motivation in this crime is naive and dangerous.
I’m assuming no such thing. Race might have played a role in this. How much or how little is difficult to say, but I can guess somewhat. I’ll reiterate my theory: They figured white people would have lots of money, perhaps to feed their habit, which was awake and screaming through their veins. They invade the house. They discover that these white people are broke, contrary to all their cherished beliefs about the two races’ socio-economic differences, and they’re so mad that they start with getting rough, escalate to getting mideival, and conclude with getting feral.
I define “hate crime” as a crime committed in order to make a statement, start a war, or simply vent racial or religious malice. So defined, I believe that classification should be deliberately ignored. You want to start a race war? You want to make a statement about how evil “those people” are? Shut up. Sit down. Let your lawyer speak, and I don’t want to hear a peep out of you. Counselor, how does your client plead? That is how you deal with “hate crimes”.