Number 13- Rest In Power Riah Milton

On the same day that Dominique Fells' body was discovered in Philadelphia, another trans person was being murdered in southern Ohio.

She is 25 year old Riah Milton of Cincinnati.   Her body was found shot to death early Tuesday morning in the 6600 block of Spruce Creek Drive in Liberty Township, OH, 20 miles north of Cincinnati.

A man called 911 early Tuesday morning to report he'd heard two or three gunshots in the cul de sac of his subdivision.  Police investigators who responded to the call found Milton's body a short time later.

There have been arrests made in this case.  Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones announced on Wednesday morning the arrest of two people and the issuance of a felony arrest warrant for a third person. 

The persons arrested were 18 year old Kaleb Marshall Tooson and an unnamed 14 year old juvenile girl.   The paid lured Milton to the area with the intent of robbing her but shot her instead. 

Tooson faces charges of murder and aggravated robbery, while the 14 year old was charged with complicity to murder, complicity to aggravated robbery and tampering with evidence. 

The third person in this case, identified by Sheriff Jones as Tyree Jeffrey Cross of Cincinnati, is wanted for complicity to murder, complicity to aggravated robbery and unlawful sexual contact with a minor.

Milton unfortunately is the 13th trans person killed in 2020., and the eight under ago 30 this year/    Here's hoping that these peeps responsible for her death do lots of time for the crime they committed.

Number 12- Rest In Power Dominique Rem'mie Fells

Figures that literally the day after I posted that 2020 trans murders midyear review article, another trans person was killed.

We head to Philadelphia for the latest trans murder in the person of 27 year old Dominique Fells. 

The delay in reporting Fells' death is due in large part to media misgendering of her.  The initial reports on Philadelphia TV station ABC6 and other Philadelphia media outlets misgendered Fells.

It took The Morris Home, a local recovery residence for trans and gender non conforming people recognized her as one of their residents to end the disrespect of being media misgendered.

Her body was found June 9 on the banks of the Schuylkill River in the 3500 block of Schuylkill Avenue near Bartram's Garden.   In addition to having her legs severed in the upper thigh area in a manner that indicates a train may have cut them, she had sustained injuries to her head and face.

Her legs have not been recovered at the scene where her body was recovered or anywhere else in the Philadelphia area so far, and the coroner as I'm writing this hasn't determined the official cause of her death.

It is however being ruled as a homicide

The Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs, which is currently headed by Black trans woman Celena Morrison, released this statement concerning the death of Fells.

 “As thousands take to the streets to proclaim that Black Lives Matter, it is critical we remember that this includes Black trans lives. Dominique Rem’mie Fells’ life mattered. We are reminded with this, and countless other painful losses — especially within our transgender communities — that there is much left to do until we achieve full equality, respect, and support for us all. The murder of transgender people — especially those of color — is truly an epidemic and a crisis that we cannot afford to allow to persist any further. Let us uplift her memory together.”

Fells is now the 12th person we have lost to anti-trans violence in 2020, and the fourth African American trans person this year.     She's also the seventh under age 30 that we have lost in 2020 to anti-trans violence.

Here's also hoping the the perpetrators of this crime are found and swiftly brought to justice. 

Arrest Made In Tracy Single Williams Case

The Houston Police Department (HPD) has announced it has made an arrest in the Tracy Single Williams case. 

The waste of DNA who did it was dating her.

25 year old Joshua Dominic Bourgeois was arrested on Friday and has been charged with the murder of the 22 year old Williams.   She was living in an apartment on Houston's west side at the time of her murder and was in a dating relationship with Bourgeois. .   

Her body was found in a gas station parking lot along the 11700 block of  I-10 in west Houston just west of Beltway 8 around 3;30 AM back on July 30, and her death was ruled by the Harris County coroner as a homicide.   Williams body according to HPD spokespersons had severe lacerations in addition to a puncture wound.

Bourgeois is currently cooling his heels in the Harris County Jail without bond, and it is unknown as of this writing if he has a defense attorney.

And yes, you can bet that the Houston area trans community and our allies will be closely watching this case to ensure that justice is served for Tracy and her family.

Ebony Morgan's Killer Found Guilty

Justice has been served in the Ebony Morgan case.

23 year old Kenneth Kelley. Jr pled guilty to second degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony in the July 2 murder of Morgan in Lynchburg, VA. 

Kelley fled the Lynchburg area and headed to Baltimore after fatally shooting Morgan, and was found at his mother's house a few days later.

He accepted a plea deal, and was sentenced to 40 years for the murder and 3 years fo the firearm charge.  23 years of the sentence was suspended by the judge for good behavior. 

According to Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney Bethany Harrison, Kelley will be spending the next 20 years in state prison for the crime.

Morgan's mother told a local news station that the sentence gives her some closure and she can sleep at night.

And another on of the people who took one of our sister's lives will be going to jail for it, even if it isn't as long as we as a community would like it to happen.

Now There Are Nine - Rest In Power And Peace, Chay

We've lost another Black trans woman to anti-trans violence, and as you probably guessed, she  was misgendered by the media. 

The location for the ninth US trans murder this year is Miami, FL and it happened at approximately 5 AM EDT this morning according to a witness.  

28 year old Chayvis 'Chay' Darice Reed according to this witness was walking with a group along Northwest 27th Street and Northwest 93rd Street in the West Little River neighborhood.  The witness stated that one person ran across the street, six or seven gunshots subsequently rang out and a person fell to the ground.  

The shooter fled the scene and has not been located at this time.  The witness has home surveillance footage which is being reviewed by Miami-Dade police detectives. 

Chay is the ninth transperson of color killed in 2017, and the eighth Black trans woman this year.  
Of the eight Black trans women killed this year, sadly seven of them have been under age 40.

If you have information concerning Chay's murder that will help capture the perpetrator of it, you are urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477)

If I hear of a memorial service for Chay, will pass along those detail as I receive them.

Dee Dee Watters will also be hosting a moment of silence in Chay's honor starting at 9 PM CDT this evening on her Facebook page.

Rest in power and peace, Chay.  Your trans family will not rest until the waste of DNA who killed you is rotting in a jail cell.

Rest In Power and Peace Jazz Alford

Once again it's my sad duty to report we have lost another trans woman to anti-transgender violence.

The latest sister to prematurely join the ancestors is 30 year old Jazz Alford.  The High Point, North Carolina resident was found on the floor of her second floor motel room shot to death by the housekeeping staff at the Kings Inn in Birmingham, AL on September 23.

As you probably guessed, the local media not only misgendered her in the initial reporting of the killing, but dead named her on top of it.

"She was such a loving person and we didn't know anybody who would want to kill her," said Toya Milan, Alford's sister who also happens to be a girl like us.

The Alford case was followed up by a 24 year old trans woman in the eastern Birmingham suburb of Homewood, AL being shot in the face October 3 during a home invasion robbery.  The trans woman in that case is still at UAB Hospital, and she is recovering from her injuries at this time.

23 year old Denzell Thomas was arrested and charged with attempted murder and first degree robbery in the home invasion robbery case.   He is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on $200,000 bond and being questioned by investigators as a person of interest in the Alford slaying.

Alford's death now makes this the 22nd trans person slain in 2016.  This also makes 2016 the deadliest year ever for US trans murders.  It also keeps up the infuriating to me patterns of the majority of the victims being African American trans women, but being under age 40.

And yes, I blame the anti-trans rhetoric deliberately being thrown around by the Republicans for their political gain for the escalation of anti-trans violence.

I also have to ask the question when Black community, will our Black trans lives matter to you as much as cis Black ones do?

Rest in power and peace, Jazz.  Your life was taken far too soon from those of us who loved you, and we will not rest until the person who took your life is brought to justice.

RIP Crystal Edmonds

It's my sad duty to report we've lost another sister in 2016 to senseless anti-trans violence

32 year old Crystal Edmonds was shot in the back of the head early Friday morning at approximately 3:00 AM in the 3600 block of Fairview Avenue in northwest Baltimore.

Edmonds. who is a resident of southwest Baltimore, was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died five hours later.

Edmonds is now the 21st trans person killed in the US this year, which sadly equals last year's total

If you live in the area, a $2000 reward is being offered for any information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the waste of DNA who killed our sister, you are urged to call police at 410-396-2100, Metro Crime Stoppers at 866-7LOCKUP or text a tip to 413-902-4824.

Will be keeping an eye on this case until Crystal's killer is arrested . convicted, and rotting in jail. If there is any information concerning a vigil or memorial service for Crystal, I'll pass that along as well. .

Rest in power and peace, Crystal.

Two More USA Trans Women Lost In 2016

Once again, it's my sad duty to report that we have lost two more trans women, one in Maine, and one in Chicago which brings the death toll this year up to 20 with three months to go.

43 year old Lexxi Sironen's body was found floating in the Kennebec River on September 6 at 8:15 AM EDT near the water reservoir of the Brookfield Power Facility.   She was from Waterville, ME, lived along the riverbank and was associating with other transient people in the area.

Friends of Sironen think that foul play was involved in her death, and while an autopsy on the body has been done by the state medical examiner, the cause of death has yet to be announced.

There will be a memorial service held for Sironen on September 18 at 12:00 PM.

Waterville police are still investigating, and if you have information that will help solve this case, please call Waterville Police Detective David Caron at 680-4700.

I'm also tired of the mugshot being used instead of this pic I found on her memorial website.

In Chicago, the body of a 26 or 27 year old Black trans woman known as T.T. to all who loved her on Chicago's West Side was found with her throat slit in West Grant Park and the knife nearby on Sunday night.   Ironically T.T's body was found a mere two blocks from the spot where Paige Clay's body was found in 2012.

T.T was pronounced dead at the scene, and was misgendered by the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Sun Times and the Chicago Tribune when they first reported the case.  It took subsequent reporting from the Windy City Times to correct the police and media misgendering.

There was a vigil held for T.T yesterday at the corner of Monroe and Kenton Streets in which a friend of T.T's named Jaliyah Armstrong stated that T.T had an altercation with another trans woman three days before she was found dead and that person threatened to kill her.

Hmm CPD, sounds like a lead in this case to me.

The Windy City Times in a 2015 investigative report by Gretchen Hammond documented the CPD's problems with misgendering trans people, but it's obvious that they still refuse to learn anything.

The investigation into T.T.'s death by the CPD is an ongoing one, but the local trans community is pessimistic that it will result in the arrest and prosecution of her killer.

If you have information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of T.T's killer, call Cook County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-535-STOP

Rest in power and in peace Lexxi and T.T.

Arrest Made In Keisha Jenkins Murder

Thanks to a tip from a concerned citizen to Philadelphia PD homicide detectives, one of the wastes of DNA who participated in the brutal October 6 attack on Keisha Jenkins has been arrested.

That tip led them to 24 year Pedro Redding, who was arrested Sunday and charged in the murder of Jenkins.   Redding has a prior history of criminal activity, was denied bail,  and was arraigned by a judge on murder, conspiracy and weapons charges.

Redding is part of a pack of men who are suspected of committing other robberies in the Hunting Park section of Philadelphia where he lived..  The Jenkins case at this time is not being investigated as a hate crime

Three other people are being sought by detectives in this ongoing murder investigation

January Lapuz Update

Will continue to monitor this north of the border case and see if the Canadian justice system is better than the one in my own nation when it concerns dispensing justice in the murder of trans individuals.
--TransGriot, July 20, 2013

Based on the result of this case, inconclusive.

When I last checked in on this case, Charles Neel was facing second degree murder charges in the stabbing death of trans pinay January Lapuz.

The 26 year old Lapuz was stabbed in her New Westminster, BC home in September 2012 and died in a local hospital a few days later.   Neel was arrested in December 5 and charged in the case with a trial start date of June 9, 2014.

One the date the jury trial was supposed to start, Neel pleaded guilty in BC Supreme Court to the lesser charge of manslaughter.  He accepted responsibility for Lapuz's death, but didn't admit the intent to kill her.

He was sentenced on June 12 to 8 years in prison, which will be reduced further due to time served to five years and three months.

Was justice served here?   Depends on your point of view in this case.

Stephanie And Ukea: Plus 12

Twelve years ago on this date at the same 50th and C Street corner in Southeast DC where Tyra Hunter's death by medical transphobia happened,. two young Washington DC transwomen died.
   .
Sadly, there have been a lot of trans murders and anti-trans violence aimed at my Washington DC trans sisters since 2002, but the brutal execution style slayings of 19 year old Stephanie Thomas and 18 year old Ukea Davis rocked DC and the nation. 

Sadly, the waste (or wastes) of DNA who committed this crime have yet to be brought to justice.  

There are times I think about what happened to these two inseparable friends.  I wonder what depraved soul would have so much hate in their heart for Stephanie and Ukea that they made the heinous effort to terminate their lives.

I also wonder if Stephanie and Ukea had lived, what contributions would they be making to our community at ages 30 and 31?   But that is a question we'll never know the answer to.

Rest in power and in peace ladies.   Know that your Washington DC trans brothers and trans sisters and your trans family around the country won't rest until the perps who did this are arrested, convicted and are rotting in jail for the rest of their lives for it.

Damn! Damn! Damn!

That famous Good Times scene in which the late Esther Rolle while playing the iconic Florida Evans, lets loose her anger, frustration and grief over the death of her husband James is what I feel every time I hear or have sent to me an e-mail that informs me of another murdered trans woman that I eventually have to disseminate to all of my TransGriot readers.

That anger and frustration hit me once again as I pondered the death of our sister Mia Henderson in Baltimore.  At the 5:57 AM EDT time her body was discovered by police, several of my trans brothers and sisters were in the process of returning to their homes after spending the last two days lobbying on Capitol Hill.  My peeps in Philadelphia and their allies were awaiting the start of a competency hearing to determine whether Charles Sargent, the alleged killer of Diamond Williams, would stand trial for his heinous crime. 
   
As of this writing, in the cases involving Kandy Hall, Zoraida Reyes, Yaz'min Shancez and Tiffany Edwards, the four transwomen killed last month, only Edwards' alleged killer is in jail right now facing charges for his crime.

Now we have Mia Henderson to mourn, light a candle for and read her name at this November's Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony.

I was asked by a trans ally a while back why is this happening to trans women of color?

It's a confluence of factors.  One is simply the fact that it is straight up dangerous to walk planet Earth in a feminine body.  It is unrealistic to think that if our newscasts are full of reports every day in which cis women of all ethnic backgrounds are being murdered for various reasons around the world, that trans women would escape that misogynistic pattern of violence.    

Another factor is that all trans women have been demonized and had their femininity and humanity questioned by friend, foe and frenemy.  That dehumanization only increases when you are a non-white transperson, and increases by a factor of ten when you combine the historic demonization of Black femininity with the devaluing of Black lives and off the charts demonization of transfeminine women.   

When the murderers of transpeople are either never caught, are freed after a trial, freed on legal technicalities,  receive ridiculously low sentences, or a defense attorney attempts to jaw droppingly argue that the killer of a transwoman he was defending didn't deserve a long sentence, the societal perception is set up that trans women's lives aren't as valuable to society as cis people's are, and murdering a transwoman is a crime the perpetrators can and should get away with committing..

It also doesn't help when the law enforcement personnel who are sworn to protect and serve us are seen more as oppressors and predators than protectors.

How many times can I say and write I'm beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired of seeing my transsisters killed?   When will the African-American  (and Latino/a ) cis community stop treating their trans sisters like pariahs and begin enveloping us with unconditional love? 

When will you realize Black cis community, Black politicians, Black clergy and Black legacy organizations that just because I or any other transperson transitions, we didn't forfeit our Black cards or our humanity?

I and my trans peeps are part of the diverse mosaic of human life.  We have made some tremendous strides in educating my community about exactly who we are and the talents we bring to our kente cloth covered family table.   All we want to do is live our lives to the best of our abilities and contribute our talents to the uplift and betterment of all the communities we intersect and interact with. 

I love my people and I'm proud to be a Black trans woman.   But you have to start unconditionally loving me and my trans sisters back.   And that starts with eliminating the thought from your mind that just because you have your hate on for a transwoman, you have a justified right to kill her. 

Another Transwoman Killed In Baltimore

Received the sad news today another transwoman was killed in Baltimore

The body of 26 year old Mia Henderson was found in an northwest Baltimore alley at 5:57 AM EDT.  Police officers from the Baltimore-area Warrant Apprehension Task Force spread out into an alley in the 3400 block of Piedmont Ave. in the Hanlon-Longwood neighborhood near Lake Ashburton attempting to serve a warrant in an unrelated case when Henderson's body was found. 

Henderson's body according to police had suffered 'severe trauma'.    Police say that the murder of Henderson bore strong similarities to the Hall one, but declined in today's press conference held at 4:15 EDT to definitively state because they are active investigations whether the murders are connected beyond the fact both were trans women




Here's hoping that the waste or wastes of DNA involved in this latest murder of one of our sisters is expeditiously caught and brought to justice.  
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Tiffany Edwards Case Update

Here's the latest news update in the Tiffany Edwards case courtesy of LGBTQ Nation. 

Quamar Edwards, the 25 year old waste of DNA arrested in the murder of our sister Tiffany after he turned himself in to Cincinnati Police on July 2, was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday on one count each of aggravated robbery, aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, having weapons under disability and tampering with evidence.

Investigators said Quamar Edwards solicited the victim for sex, and fatally shot her following an argument.   So much for his uncle trying to play the 'trans panic defense' card. 

Edwards is currently cooling his heels in the Hamilton County Jail under a $500,000 bond

And as always, I will keep you TransGriot readers posted concerning any new developments in this case.

RIP Yaz'min Shancez

Some sad news to report coming out of Florida in terms of another one of our sisters being brutally murdered.  

The burned body of 31 year old Yaz'min Shancez was found behind a dumpster off Fowler Street Thursday morning in Fort Myers, FL.  

She had been shot prior to the burning of her body.  The death has been ruled a homicide, but Fort Myers police as of yet aren't investigating it as a hate crime.

And tragically, Yaz'min died two years to the day  her 16 year old sister Cha'Riah Owens was shot and killed..

"Nobody deserves that," said Beatrice Loggins, Shancez's aunt in an interview. "Straight, gay, purple, pink, white, black. Nobody...There will never be another T, you couldn't clone her, couldn't mold her."

A vigil will be held later today starting at 7:30 PM EDT to honor the memory of Yaz'min Shancez at Centennial Park, 2000 W First St, Fort Myers, FL.       

In addition the Facebook group, there is also a fundraising page that has been set up to help the family pay for Yaz'min's burial expenses.

If you have information to help solve this crime and bring the waste or wastes of DNA who did this to justice, please call the Fort Myers Police Department at 239-321-7700, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS or text message C-R-I-M-E-S (274637) Keyword FMPD.

Rest in Power, Yaz'min.   You are another one of our sisters who was taken away from us way too soon.

RIP Kandy Hall

I've been able to avoid doing this for six months.   But unfortunately the odds were good that one of our transsisters was going to be killed somewhere in this country before the year was out.

The first trans person murdered this year in the United States (unless I missed one somewhere) took place in Baltimore, MD on Tuesday.   

The person who was killed was 40 year old Kandy Hall.   Her body was found Tuesday in a field on Fillmore Street near a post office and school in northeast Baltimore. 

A reward is now being offered for information that leads to an arrest in Hall’s murder.

Last year 29 year old Kelly Young was found dead in east Baltimore, and unfortunately her killer has yet to be brought to justice.   

But back to discussing Kandy.  So far people have been unable to contact relatives to notify them of her death.  I'll be in contact with my Baltimore area folks who will keep me updated on any news related to this case  or any memorial services planned.

Also looking for pics of Kandy if anyone in the Baltimore area has them. 

Rest in power Kandy.   Your transfamily will not rest until justice is served in your case.  

No April African-American Trans Murders!

"So will we see a threepeat of that pattern in 2014?   I hope and pray we don't, but with the increased attention transpeople and trans issues are getting in the media, it has also fueled backlash.  Some of that backlash will be manifested in people who are mean spirited, hateful and angry enough to take their transphobia to murderous levels." 
-TransGriot, April 3, 2014, 'Will April Be A Deadly Month For African-American Transwomen This Year?'

For the last two years, April has tended to be the deadliest month for anti-trans murders aimed at African-American transwomen. 

2014 so far has been a quiet year on that trans murder front here in the States, but when the calendar page flipped to April my anxiety level went up known the pattern of the last two years.  Now that we have turned the calendar page to May, I can exhale and report an amazing occurrence.

This year was the first in two years we didn't have trans African-Americans murdered in the month of April.  So keep up the good work my transsisters.  As a birthday present to me, please continue to be vigilant and most importantly be safe so I don't have to type out stories of a transwoman being killed somewhere in this country for the month of May. 

I'll have to sort through the Remembering our Dead statistics to see how far back the trend of African-American transowmen being murdered in April goes, but it's wonderful news to note that for the first time in a while, we won't have some family planning an all to soon funeral for a loved one they lost during the month of April.  

Will April Be A Deadly Month For African-American Transwomen This Year?

With the calendar page flipping from March to April, the weather gets warmer (at least in some parts of the country), the shorts come out and people emerge to enjoy the wonderful spring weather. 

And over the last two years, what has emerged is a distressing pattern of the month of April being a particularly deadly one for African-American trans women.  

There were three slayings of African-American transwomen in April 2012, and that pattern continued in 2013.   Kelly Young and Ashley Sinclair were killed 48 hours apart in Baltimore and Orlando, and Cemia Dove Acoff's lifeless body was discovered on April 17.

So will we see a threepeat of that pattern in 2014?   I hope and pray we don't, but with the increased attention transpeople and trans issues are getting in the media, it has also fueled backlash.  Some of that backlash will be manifested in people who are mean spirited, hateful and angry enough to take their transphobia to murderous levels. 

And let this post serve as your wake up call.   Remember you are walking around in Black feminine bodies, which like our cisgender Black feminine counterparts, draw their share of murderous attention, too.

So my transsisters, be vigilant and most importantly be safe so I don't have to type out stories of a transwoman being killed somewhere in this country during the month of April.   

Janette Tovar Murder Anniversary Update

On October 16 we passed the one year anniversary of the death of 43 year old Janette Tovar of Dallas, who died of blunt force trauma to the head after she was assaulted by her then 26 year old partner Jonathan Scott Kenney.

Kenney was arrested and charged for the murder of Tovar, but I haven't as of this writing found any evidence of a trial date being set for Kenney in this case or if he has been convicted of it.

I'll have to talk to my sources in the Dallas area to find out what's going on in the Tovar case since it's been a year and I'd like to know myself what's going on.  

The Facebook page set up in her memory by her niece Layla was updated on what would have been Janette's birthday on August 31 and has a recent post dated September 15.

It points out what I've stated before.  Trans murders have impacts far beyond just the individual whose life was taken.  It has ripple effects in the lives of countless other people who knew and loved the person as well. 

RIP Janette, and may you expeditiosly receive justice. 

Another California Transwoman Murdered

Sad to report about another trans woman being murdered on the Left Coast.

26 year old Melony Smith was found dead in her Baldwin Park, CA motel room back on September 9.   The reason it took so long to find out is because once again, the trans person was misgendered by the po-po's.

Note to police: Pronouns are not necessarily pegged to the genitalia between the person's legs.  If you have a female bodied person with a penis, that's a hint an a half that you are dealing with a trans person and you need to ID her as a female or announce in your press releases the murder of a transgender female'.   It makes it much easier for the trans community or someone who knows her as that female bodied person to identify her. 

You also slow down your own investigations and lengthen your odds of arresting the perpetrators who committed the crimes by not doing so.

The alleged perp in this case, 28 year old Stephen Gonzales was already in jail on another charge, and was charged with murder and robbery in the Smith case, according to a felony complaint filed in Pomona Superior Court and a report in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.  Gonzales was also accused of the special, sentence-enhancing allegation of committing murder during the course of a robbery.

Rest in peace, Melony.  Let's hope that justice is served in this case.