The Murder of KC Haggard (SOLVED)

On July 23, 2015 a transgender woman was found dead on Blackstone Avenue in Fresno, California. The woman was sixty-six-year-old recently out, KC Haggard (or Casey). This is a story we in the trans community don't often hear about-an elderly trans victim; usually the victims are younger and started transitioning earlier. Today Trans True Crime profiles KC's case.

KC's murder by stabbing was solved rather quickly when a security camera at a nearby tattoo shop caught her murder on camera. Haggard was seen on camera getting into an SUV, driven by a man named Richard Joseph Lopez. It is believed that Richard was looking for a prostitute for sex when he encountered KC, an intoxicated Lopez assumed KC was female until he got a closer look; stabbing her to death out of rage. Richard is shown on tape to stab Haggard in the throat before she gets out of the car; stumbling a few feet before collapsing.

Detectives traced the silver SUV in the video to a man in Oregon. Upon questioning the man, he revealed he sold the car to Lopez and was cleared of any wrongdoing. Investigators tracked down another man, Refugio Cedillo, who cleaned the car after KC's murder but he was not charged and ultimately passed away in a motorcycle crash that December.

In February 2018, more than two years after the murder, police charged Richard Lopez for the murder of KC Haggard while Lopez was already in prison serving a three year sentence for stealing an elderly couple's truck in November 2017. It was reported that the couple took him in to feed him on a snowy night. It is unclear if Richard will receive a hate crime charge in KC's death.

NOTE: Since KC was recently out, she doesn't have any pictures of her as a woman. All I could find is one booking photo of her as male. There are reports that she set up a Facebook page with her dressed as female in her pictures; however I cannot find these at the moment. If I find them in the future, I'll add them here. The only picture I'll add to this post is a portrait of Haggard.

The Murder of Shade Schuler (UNSOLVED)

Shade Schuler was a transgender woman who was murdered on July 29, 2015 in Texas. It is unknown where she was killed; however her body was found in a field off of Riverside Drive in Dallas, in the north-eastern part of the city.

Her body was so badly decomposed that it took police two weeks to identify her. It was reported that Schuler was a known prostitute and that the area she was found in was an area that she frequented. Not much is known about Shade's case and police have not revealed very much about her or her case at all.

NOTE: I normally post pictures of the victims; however the only ones I can find of Shade are a booking photo or pictures where her face is covered. The only instances where I will post a booking photo is when there are no other pictures of the victim. Other articles have the pictures of Schuler with her face partially covered with her cellphone. I won't post those because I feel it takes away from the victim by not showing what their face looked like.

The Murder of Amber Monroe (UNSOLVED)

"Amber was a very fun and loving person. She believed in giving to the community." says Essie Jones, aunt to the late Amber Monroe, a twenty-year-old transgender activist from Detroit, Michigan.

Amber was enrolled in college, was a member of numerous transjustice awareness groups, and interned at the Ruth Ellis Center in Highland Park, an organization that focuses on young members of the LGBTQ community.

"I knew she had a lot of obstacles to face. I do believe in my heart she was murdered because of her choice." says Jones, believing someone murdered Amber because she was transgender.

Police have released details of the last images of Monroe alive, on surveillance video. The video goes as follows: a car was seen pulling into an intersection, Amber stops the car to get out, she stepped out of the car and began walking away when she was shot. This happened on August 8, 2015 at around 5:00 AM on Woodward and Dakota near Palmer Park.

It is unknown who was driving the car, details of the car, or what issue may have taken place for the driver or possibly another passenger to shoot Amber.

The Murder of Kandis Capri (UNSOLVED)

"Kandis was who you called the queen bee; she kept it real at all times. There will never be another Kandis Capri." says Joyde Brown, a close friend of Kandis' who considered her like a sister.

Kandis was a transgender woman who was murdered by gunshot wounds outside of an apartment complex, where she was staying with a friend, on August 11, 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona. Capri began transitioning from male-to-female in 2012, not having acceptance from her mother at first but she eventually came around saying "Initially I was against it, but eventually I determined that was my child, and I still loved him, and I accepted him as he was."

Kandis was taking classes at South Mountain Community College and was close with family and friends, with them saying "She was kind and a vivacious personality."

During the investigation detectives uncovered footage of Capri and an unidentified man at a gas-station, they believe the unknown male to be involved with her death. Kandis is seen on camera about to enter the glass door of the gas-station when she was approached by the unknown male, glanced at him, then turned and walked away. The man then moves out of frame. He is described as a black male, early to mid-twenties and was seen in the video wearing a baseball cap and a number twenty-three Chicago Bulls jersey.

Capri's last moments leading up to her murder were described as on Tuesday August 11, 2015 at 11:30 PM, Kandis worried that a car she had been renting was either being towed or was about to be towed, so she left her roommate's apartment to check on her car. Shortly after she was shot three to four times in the front and back of her body. She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. At 5:30 the following morning, Capri's mother was notified by police that Kandis was murdered. Capri's mother, Andria Gaines has suspected that her daughter's murder has been a hate crime ever since; however no leads have come from police video of the suspect, so the reasonings for the murder remain unknown.

The Murder of Elisha Walker (SOLVED)

Elisha Walker was a transgender woman who went missing from Salisbury, North Carolina on October 30, 2014. Elisha kept in contact with her family through: text, phone calls, and social media, however they had not heard from her since October 23 of that year.

Walker was in a "six month to eight month" relationship with Angel Arias, a member of the Latin Kings gang. She was living on Celebration Drive, but according to police reports, frequently visited a home on Hemlock Drive, later shown to be the address in which Angel was living. On November 22, 2014 Elisha's 2000 Silver Pontiac was found burned in a field in Sampson County, East of Fayetteville.

From the car fire, investigators were able to determine Arias to be a suspect in the case. Upon questioning him, they discovered that he had moved from the Hemlock Drive address and returned to Johnston County. While in questioning, Angel admitted to murdering Walker in his previous home on Hemlock Drive. His reasoning for doing so was to "hide his relationship" with Elisha from family and friends, as he tried to break up with her; but she was insistent upon seeing him. Most likely in an argument, Arias killed Walker by asphyxiation and blunt-force trauma to the head, along with stab wounds.

In July of 2015 Rowan County detectives, with the use of a cadaver dog searched Arias' previous Hemlock Drive residence for Elisha's remains but didn't recover them. They continued searching in Johnston County, while Angel was being held in that county's jail on unrelated drug charges. Investigators located an area of interest as to where her remains may have been. The area was a shallow grave behind a house on Homestead Lane, outside Smithfield.

Angel was plead guilty; being charged with a lesser offense of second-degree murder in dismissal of the court charging him for another crime of stealing a motor vehicle. Angel Arias was sentenced to nineteen to twenty-four years in prison.

My own personal belief is that Elisha was an out and proud transgender woman who wanted more than to be a secret or have a "secret relationship" with Angel. Angel, being presumed as heterosexual by the people who knew him, feared he would be called "gay" by those who didn't understand, so he felt embarrassed and insecure; opting to kill Walker instead of being honest with others as to who he is.

The Murder of Tamara Dominguez (SOLVED)

Tamara Dominguez was a Mexican-American transgender woman who was murdered on August 15, 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri. Originally from Veracruz, Mexico, Tamara came to The United States to escape discrimination against her gender identity; living quietly in the States for seven years until she was intentionally hit by an SUV, then ran back over three times.

It is unknown if the murder is a hate crime, or how the driver, Luis M. Sanchez and the victim knew each other. Luis is a twenty-nine-year-old man from Kansas City. Reports say a witness saw Dominguez get out of a vehicle matching the description of Luis', a black Chevrolet Avalanche. The witness said Tamara slammed the door before walking off. The witness heard a bump, as if it impacted the victim and was running over her. The SUV then backed up and ran over her again and again. The description of the vehicle was released to the public; helping tips come in; leading police to Sanchez's SUV. When inspecting the SUV, investigators found Tamara's blood under the chassis.

After Sanchez's vehicle was seized, he quit showing up for work at his construction job; fleeing to Colorado. Charges were filed against Luis under seal on April 15, 2016 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The charges were then unsealed after his arrest in Colorado. His bond was set at two-hundred fifty thousand dollars.

My own personal belief about the murder is that Tamara was working as a prostitute when picked up by Luis. Dominguez, most likely pre-operative told Luis that she was, which he may have made rude comments about. He let her out, to which she slammed his door, angry that he wasn't interested in her. To get revenge, Sanchez ran Tamara over. If this is true, it's silly to do because no one else was in the car, to taunt him, make fun of him, etc. So what was the point in taking her life? He could have just let her out and moved on, but he maybe thought he could get away with "the perfect crime"? Either way, he was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. No sentencing information has been released yet.

The Murder of Lashay Mclean (UNSOLVED)

Lashay Mclean was a transgender woman who was shot to death on July 20, 2011 in Washington, D.C.

Lashay was found suffering from a gunshot wound on 6100 Dix Street, N.E. at 4:26 AM. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died. Police announced that they were investigating a claim that two males "had some words" with Lashay in an alley shortly before she was shot. Mclean was killed on a street notorious for transgender street prostitution. While friends and family reveal that Lashay was arrested in 2010 for a misdemeanor charge of solicitation for prostitution on the unit block of K Street, N.E. (another street well-known for prostitution), that it is unknown whether or not the crime is related to the sex industry.
 

The Murder of Tyli'a "Nana Boo" Mack (UNSOLVED)

Tyli'a "Nana Boo" Mack was a transgender woman who was fatally stabbed on August 26, 2009 by an unidentified male suspect while walking with a friend near THE (Transgender Health Empowerment) in Washington, D.C.

The stabbing occurred on the 200 Block of Q Street, N.W. at 2:38 PM. The stabbing began after the two friends laughed at a daycare center that was being run out of a townhouse; the assailant, a man, who was standing in the doorway of the townhouse thought the two were laughing at him, which he took personally. The man then began referring to the two women by slurs. Mack retaliated by yelling slurs back at the man. Tyli'a's friend encouraged her to continue onward to THE but she refused. A short time later, the man appeared behind Mack; hitting her and when told to stop by the friend, he began hitting her too. The killer then began stabbing the two friends, with Tyli'a running across the street for help; collapsing to the ground. She was taken to Howard University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later. The friend was injured but was treated and fully recovered.

The unnamed friend never got a good look at the attacker, as she was trying to avoid confrontation with the man. Police were not able to get a sketch of the killer because of this, so the case went cold.

My personal opinion is that Tyli'a was set up by the friend for whatever reason. Maybe over a relationship, friendship, etc. I allege that the friend told the attacker that she would be walking past the daycare on her way to an appointment with THE on August 26. I believe that the incident she describes never even happened. The friend was only stabbed too, to eliminate herself as a suspect, but had the killer make sure her injuries weren't life threatening, like Mack's.

The Murder of Tyra Henderson (UNSOLVED)

On Sunday April 23, 2000 at 6:26 AM Tyra Henderson, a twenty-two-year-old transgender woman was found beaten to death in an alleyway on the 3600 Block of Eleventh Street, N.W. (Photo right of Tyra Henderson)

Very little information about Tyra's homicide case is unknown as well as very liitle personal information except for the fact that she was living on the 1700 Block of T Street, S.E. in Washington D.C.

A complaint was filed against police by someone relating to Tyra's case, that police took too long to respond to a 911 call placed at 2:20 AM in relation to sounds of a person moaning in the alleyway where Henderson's body was found. The complainant sought help from the ACLU of the National Capitol Area for the allegation against police, which at the time of January 17, 2018 is still listed as being "under review" by police.

Prostitution could be involved with the crime, as in 2006 Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, also known as Gender PAC, revealed that Tyra was involved in sex work as a means for survival.

The Murder of Kim Young (SOLVED)

Not much is known to the public about Kim "Mimi" Young, a thirty-eight-year-old transgender woman who was murdered by stabbing on April 9, 2003, but at least her murder was solved with her killer, Corena Niko Watkins being brought to justice. It is not known what his sentence was or even what his motivation for the crime was. I also cannot find any pictures of Corena or Kim online to use for this article.

What we do know about Kim is that she was a prostitute who just three years before her own murder, was involved in the murder of a bail bondman, Dean J. "Dino" Pantazes' wife, Clara Pantazes, when Dean paid Kim for sex a few days prior to Christmas 1999; propositioning her five thousand dollars if she killed his wife Clara. Young refused, but did tip off police about the murder-for-hire pitch. This in addition to others, helped convict Dean of first-degree murder and sentence him to two consecutive life terms in prison for the March 30, 2000 murder of Clara.

Kim's murder case is one of the three solved homicides of transgender prostitutes that occurred between April and August of 2003 in Washington D.C. The other victims, Bella Evangelista and Emonie Spaulding were also profiled by Trans True Crime.

The Murder of Emonie Spaulding (SOLVED)

On August 21, 2003 Emonie Kiera Spaulding was murdered by Derrick A. Lewis after he picked her up in his car, most likely to engage in prostitution. They had gotten into an argument while in Derrick's car but it's unsure what the argument was about. The argument led to Spaulding's murder by way of beating and gunfire. Her nude body was dumped in a grassy area off of Second Street, SE and found by police at 2:00 AM that day after they responded to a call on the 2900 Block of Second Street, SE about hearing gunshots nearby. Her clothes were found the next day either in a dumpster or on the street (reports vary).

On August 26 of that year police raided a home where Derrick was staying but missed him. He instead turned himself in to the headquarters of the D.C Police violent crimes branch that day at around 4:00 PM. Lewis was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Emonie and was scheduled to be arraigned in court. He ultimately pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to ten years in prison. (Picture left of Emonie Spaulding)

The Murder of Elexius Woodland (UNSOLVED)

Elexius Nicole Woodland was a twenty-four-year-old transgender woman who was murdered in an attempted robbery on December 2, 2005.

At approximately 1:20 AM on Friday December 2, 2005 at the 2000 Block of Savannah Terrace, SE, Elexius and a friend were walking home from a local convenience store after buying food; when they were approached by at least two men in a dark car who demanded money from them. One of the two men fired a handgun. No money was taken. Woodland died from injuries to her face and stomach, while her friend was treated at a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Police are not ruling the homicide a hate crime.

A vigil was held on the 1900 Block of Savannah Terrace, SE for Elexius at 6 PM the day she died.

On December 19 of that year police issued a statement; seeking a suspect in the murder of Woodland, most likely compiled by the friend who survived the shooting. The killer is described as a black male in his twenties, approximately five-feet-eleven inches to six-feet tall, one-hundred sixty to one-hundred seventy pounds, with a slight mustache, and his hair in plats or dreads. So far a composite sketch of the killer has not been released.

The Murders of Ukea Davis and Stephanie Thomas (UNSOLVED)

Ukea Davis and Stephanie Thomas were two transgender friends and roommates who were sharing an apartment together one block away from where they were murdered on August 12, 2002. Both women met in their early teens at an LGBT youth center called SMYAL (Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League) and quickly became friends. Both feminine as males often suffered taunting and beatings from peers at their school and in the neighborhood. Ukea and Stephanie found it easier to live as women, so they began transitioning soon after meeting each other.

On August 12, 2002 at 3:20 AM both Ukea and Stephanie were stopped at a stop sign on the 4900 Block of C Street, SE when they were embroiled in a hail of gunfire from another car, a Ford Crown Victoria after it pulled up to their Toyota Camry, owned by Stephanie. Ukea died immediately from ten gunshot wounds to her body, while Stephanie was still breathing, despite suffering the same amount of gunshot wounds as Ukea.

From reading several articles on the case, it seems as if the witness who pulled up by the Toyota Camry after the killer or killers fled, may have known the killer(s). I believe this because he (unidentified witness) said he checked on Stephanie to see if she was still alive, to which she moaned, while Ukea had already passed on. The witness himself then fleed after the Ford Crown Victoria returned to finish killing Stephanie. How else would the killer have known that Stephanie was still alive? Smartphones weren't a thing yet; however people still had cellphones; maybe the witness called or texted the killer(s) to let them know Stephanie was still alive?

Details of Ukea and Stephanie's last night alive are unclear; however friends said both women told them at 11:30 PM on August 11, 2002 that they were both going to a nearby gas station to buy cigarettes, less than three hours later they were dead. It doesn't take three hours to buy cigarettes, so where were the girls after they may have purchased the cigarettes? Did they even buy any? (Picture from left to right: Stephanie Thomas, Ukea Davis)

If not, I believe the girls may have went out to meet heterosexual men, whom may have not known that the girls were transgender. Maybe it was for sex or for drugs? That is unknown but if it were maybe the men, whose victims' family said that the girls had no trouble getting, as they were passable as females, may have discovered they were pre-operative and wanted them dead for it? 

The Murder of Bella Evangelista (SOLVED)

Born in Guatemala in 1978, transgender performer, Bella Evangelista immigrated to the United States settling in Washington D.C. She, at the time of her death, had been transitioning from male-to-female for nine years; preferring: mini-skirts, high-heels, and heavy makeup, anything to resemble her icon, Jennifer Lopez. Evangelista, a popular performer at many of Washington D.C.'s area bars and nightclubs was loved by many, known for her impersonation of Gloria Estefan, which also helped her win many talent contests.

Off stage was a total polar opposite for Bella. Despite being passable as female, she still had trouble finding a regular job; facing discrimination from potential employers possibly over her identification information not matching her physical appearance; as it's often many "hoops to go through" and a financial burden to legally change your name and gender marker. Like other transsexuals who face employment discrimination, Bella turned to street prostitution to earn a living. According to friend, Ruby Bracamonte, Evangelista and many other trans women who do sex work don't find it difficult to disclose their gender identity to clients.

I point this out because Bella was murdered by a man on August 16, 2003 after one of his friends told him that Bella was born male. A "macho" man, her killer, Antoine Jacobs probably felt embarrassed that another heterosexual man knew he preferred feminine trans women in addition to biological females and with "something to prove", he went after Bella to kill her, to maintain his masculine image. This was done, as so often in the heterosexual community, they (men) believe that trans women are just "extremely gay men" and that even a passable trans woman is still a man, making someone attracted to them gay-doesn't make sense does it?

Most likely after bragging to a friend that he (Antoine) just had sex; saying where and with who, the other friend pointed out Bella was male; probably taunting Jacobs for hooking up with a transgender woman. Instead of assaulting his friend, he went after Bella; locating her on Allison Street and Arkansas NW. He originally told police that he confronted Evangelista in regards to her gender and "fearing assault" from Bella, he shot her in retaliation. Investigators didn't buy it; charging him with first-degree murder since he brought the gun with him after borrowing it from a friend, showing he planned the murder. Evangelista even offered to give the twenty dollars she was paid by Antoine back, but he refused, only wanting to know her gender.

I imagine Bella told him that she was born male but lives her life as a transgender woman. Jacobs shot her three times after hearing this, with nearby police on patrol hearing the gunfire and rushing to the scene. They saw Antoine fleeing the scene on a bicycle; chasing him by car then on foot through a baseball field, where Jacobs tried ditching the murder weapon. He was unsuccessful; ultimately being caught by police.

The crime was charged as a hate crime; carrying a life sentence if convicted; however in 2005 Antoine pled guilty to second-degree murder; facing a sentence of between twelve to twenty-four years with a maximum of forty years. On December 16 of that year Antoine was sentenced to sixteen years and eight months followed by five years of supervised probation. 

The Mysterious Death of Shalimar Seiuli

Shalimar Seiuli was born on July 6, 1976 in American Samoa. Shalimar, a pageant competitor, won Miss Island Queen in 1993 and relocated to Los Angeles, California to translate a stage career over into a position as a fashion designer. This didn't work out, so Seiuli, a young transsexual went to the streets of Santa Monica Boulevard to work as a prostitute. It was one fateful night out on the streets, that Shalimar, known well to Los Angeles police as a sex worker, would step into the SUV of a very famous actor all the while being watched by the cops. The story that follows after launched Shalimar into infamy and off the streets, as her fellow famous driver became tabloid fodder and the punchline of jokes for late-night comics.

On May 2, 1997 at 4:55 AM Shalimar was out working the streets of Santa Monica Boulevard, a slow night, until she was approached by a Toyota Land Cruiser with actor Eddie Murphy in the driver's seat. A well-known and wealthy actor, Seiuli jumped right in to service Eddie who had then recently completed filming a family friendly movie, The Nutty Professor, to re-launch a more appropriate image after some scandals in which he was embroiled in.

The SUV was quickly pulled over by police. Murphy was let go; fooling cops into thinking he was just "being a good samaritan" by "offering Shalimar a ride". Seiuli however was arrested for an outstanding warrant on prostitution charges. By morning the story made international headlines; allowing Shalimar to have her bail paid for by a tabloid looking to gain an "inside scoop" on her "wild ride" with Eddie.

Through her rising infamy, Seiuli was able to leave prostitution successfully; opting to work as a house madame for nightclub, 7969 in which she performed S&M-related shows with live snakes. Actors Charlie Sheen and Demi Moore reportedly attended her shows.

Sadly on April 22, 1998 barely one year after her rise to public attention, Shalimar's dead body, clad only in lingerie was found on the pavement outside of her apartment building by her neighbor. The police investigation hypothesized that Seiuli suffered an accidental fall from the fifth story of her building, after accidentally locking herself out of her apartment. Through access to the roof, she attempted to use her robe as a rope to swing from the roof to an open window but was unsuccessful; falling five floors to her death.

The unusual nature of her death led to many believing that Shalimar was a hit by Eddie Murphy to stop the release of a tell-all book that she was writing on her experience with Eddie. This could never be proven despite Seiuli receiving death threats from fans of Murphy who thought she was tarnishing his image for her own personal gain. Family and friends later disclosed that Shalimar was left emotionally distraught after this; traveling in isolation under various pseudonyms as a result.

Seiuli's life story was turned into a play in 2015 by Victor Rodger which premiered at the Auckland Fringe Festival with Amanaki Prescott as the role of Shalimar Seiuli. 

The Ocean Parkway Doe and Mo Zhang: Are The Cases Related?

The Ocean Parkway Doe is the skeletal remains of a homicide victim believed by investigators to have been transgender. This is so because upon first glance, the victim was found in women's clothing but through DNA testing, it was determined that the doe had the Y-chromosome.

On April 4, 2011 while searchers went down Ocean Parkway, a 12-mile stretch of beach in Long Island, New York, searching for missing prostitute Shannan Gilbert, more skeletal remains were discovered after an initial five women were found in December of 2010. This discovery of the "Gilgo Beach Four" (Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello) and the rest of Jessica Taylor's remains (Jessica went missing in July 2003, found that same month, and identified in March 2004) led to police announcing a serial killer on Long Island. Ocean Parkway Doe continued to lay there until April of the following year, once search parties came back after a "wicked" winter storm made it impossible to search for remains. The murders stopped in December after the story was released but more victims from years past would be found. These included: The Manorville Jane Doe, Fire Island Jane Doe, Baby Doe, Bag of bones (later matched with a dismembered torso found in 1997, also matched with DNA of Baby Doe), and Ocean Parkway Doe being found after Jessica Taylor, which left police "stumped" 'cause at first they were only finding biological women. The neighborhood where the victims were discovered were shaken up but not too worried since all of the victims were involved or believed to be involved in the sex trade. This was so until the remains of a small child wrapped in a blanket were found.

Soon thereafter a composite sketch of the Ocean Parkway Doe was released; leading internet sleuths to come up with possible identities. Enter Mo Zhang. Mo was a Chinese foreign-exchange student being sponsored by a family in Yorktown, Virginia. Zhang disappeared from a church lock-in on August 9, 2006. He is rumored to be out of the state; only fueling rumors that the doe could be Mo Zhang. Even more curiosity fell upon armchair detectives when a picture of Mo lined up well with the composite of the doe. Both Zhang and the doe have unique noses, that when laid on top of each other, align perfectly. (Mo Zhang pictured right) 

Yim Yeung-Tsui, a Chinese student at SUNY (State University of New York) was also considered as a possible match to the Ocean Parkway Doe but was ruled out through DNA. (Yim Yeung-Tsui pictured left)

My theory is that Zhang, a gifted student but troubled youth accepted a chance to be in an environment accepting of transsexuality, like let's say New York. The chance was by way of a foreign-exchange student program, which Mo qualified for. His sponsors were most likely religious (most religions don't accept the transgender lifestyle) sending him to church, where either he was open about his plans to transition and met with opposition, or he kept it hidden and was just annoyed by all of the talk of religion. This caused him to leave the lock-in; hitchhiking to New York where reality of a cruel world set in, as a then seventeen-year-old Mo had: no education, job skills, or people he knew in New York; putting him in a situation of homelessness and survival sex. He may have found some other more experienced trans women who guided him; allowing him to have access to the female clothing. On just a usual night, the killer, probably bisexual or curious picked Mo up and took him back to his house. I disagree with the police theory that the killer beat Zhang to death upon finding out he had male genitalia; that example is so played out, especially since the doe was dressed at the time of discovery. I doubt a transphobic man would want to dress a trans woman, touch her, etc. So I surmise that they finished having sex either for the first time with each other, or that it was a regular thing that the killer didn't feel comfortable with anymore, so he killed her.

Currently Mo's biological family have been hard for police to track down to obtain a DNA sample for comparison. They are most likely still in China and the school where Mo either went to for a few days, or was going to go to, threw out his records. I also doubt the sponsors kept any of Mo's possessions like a toothbrush, hair brush, etc. for DNA samples, so it's hard to say if this case will ever be solved.   

Transgender Skeleton Found in Markham, Ontario, Canada (UNSOLVED)

As Trans True Crime continues profiling unidentified remains of transgender homicide victims, today we switch focus to a trans homicide victim that I've dubbed The Markham Ontario Doe. I do this because I can't find a lot of articles on her case, or any that nickname her. We're switching focus because this murder happened in Canada, rather than in the United States, like all of the other cases that I've profiled so far.

On July 16, 1980 the Markham Ontario Doe's remains were found in a bushy area on the East side of the Eleventh Concession, one kilometer North of Steeles Avenue in the York region of Markham, Ontario Canada. At first glance, the female clothing found on and near the victim suggested that the victim was biologically female; however upon further examination it was determined that the victim had the Y-chromosome, making investigators surmise that the doe was transgender. Upon the clothes and personal items found were: red (or possibly pink) high-heel shoes with a decorative flap and bow, Britannia jeans (women's size 30/29), a woman's red shirt, and white frilled socks.

The victim's physical characteristics are described as her being: five-feet-four inches to five-feet-seven inches tall at a weight of ninety-nine to one-hundred twenty one pounds with poorly developed muscular markings and a thin build. She had medium brown four inch long straight hair. Her eye color is unknown as she was fully decomposed at the time of discovery. She is estimated to be anywhere from twenty to forty years old, however I don't believe she could have been that old.

I believe she was younger than twenty years old and the victim of homicide at the hands of some parental figure. I estimate from the small stature that the victim may have been transgender; hiding it from family. On the day she died she may have been experimenting with women's clothes, dressing up, when she was caught by one or both of her parents, and in a fit of rage and ignorance with their child's lifestyle, she was killed.

One thing that strikes me as odd about the case, is that found with her remains were a small bag containing animal bones. I highly doubt she would put an animal in a plastic bag to transport it, if she happened to be a runaway? I think the animal bones came from another person who disposed of a dead pet in the vicinity where the victim was dumped. Maybe it was winter at the time the pet was tossed in the bushes, with snow on the ground; inadvertently concealing her from the pet's owner-hiding her until the summer?

In 2009 police revealed a clay bust of the victim's skull; showing what she may have looked like in life (first photo above). DNA was extracted from her teeth but yielded no results in databases for missing persons. Investigators examined the remains looking for signs of: an edged weapon used to kill her, signs of blunt-force trauma, or any other signs of trauma but didn't come up with results. Currently the Markham Ontario Doe is buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

The Curious Case of the Dane County Doe (UNSOLVED)

Today Trans True Crime will profile the curious case of the Dane County Doe, a skeleton of a possible transgender woman/cross-dresser/drag performer found stuffed inside a chimney of an abandoned music store in Wisconsin.

On September 3, 1989, a maintenance worker at Good 'N Loud, an abandoned music store in Madison, Wisconsin, was doing repairs when he moved a boiler; noticing water leaking from the flue. When he shined his flashlight into the base of the chimney, that's when he discovered the victim's remains.

The victim was found to possibly be a: transsexual, cross-dresser, or drag performer as they had male chromosomes but were wearing female clothing. The clothing included a: sleeveless paisley dress with matching belt, long-sleeved button down shirt possibly made of Oxford-type cloth, medium-sized white Stag brand shaggy-pile sweater, and low-heeled pointed shoes. She was wearing one pair of socks and carrying another pair. She also donned a German iron cross medallion. The victim was also not wearing underwear; leading some to theorize that maybe she was working as a prostitute and may have met with foul play.

I agree with the prostitution theory-maybe she and her killer went to the top of the roof; knowing the store was abandoned, for some privacy to engage in intercourse. Both were probably local to Madison if they knew Good 'N Loud was deserted. I imagine the killer found the doe to have male genitalia, that she didn't disclose, killing her and hiding her in the chimney, the closest thing for concealment of the crime. I highly doubt a transphobic man would want to touch, let alone carry a transgender woman to dump her randomly in a chimney, so the encounter must have taken place on the roof of said building.

Another theory, which seems to be a "sign of the times" but after studying the victim's injuries, call me crazy, but it seems almost too good, is that the victim was a burglar who wanted to break into the building by way of the chimney (as to avoid structural damage). She wasn't familiar with the interior of the building and upon sliding down, she found she couldn't get through without moving the boiler; the victim was five-feet five inches to five-feet seven inches tall and of thin build with no known signs of homicide, but did have a broken pelvis (found to be from the fall down the chimney). When she couldn't climb out, she starved to death? Possibly?

Some hope of identification did come in 2012 when retired State Senate Laura Zimmerman went public with her memory of a page at the Legislature whom she may have worked with between 1980 and 1985. She realized this in 1990 after the Smithsonian Institution did a clay reconstruction of the victim's skull, which she thinks resembles the page. She didn't bring it up to her then-boss, Dan Fields, because she couldn't remember the page's name. After reading online of how medical examiners use recreations of victims' skulls to identify unidentified homicide victims, she decided to contact police with her story. Zimmerman is hoping that investigators can run social security numbers of Senate pages who left the company before the remains were found; seeing if any of the citizens with a social security number "dropped off the face of the Earth" around 1989. Police are open to doing just that. So far, no new leads have come forward.

DNA Doe Project Takes On First Case of Unidentified Transgender Homicide Victim (UPDATED)

The DNA Doe Project is a not-for-profit organization which utilizes DNA testing tools to identify: unidentified victims of homicide, victims of auto accidents, and persons who committed suicide but were living under an alias. They utilize GEDMatch, a free public genealogy website. GEDMatch allows users to upload their raw DNA profile from Ancestry DNA or 23andMe to their website to build family trees. Founders, Colleen Fitzpatrick and Margaret Press (along with many volunteers) will then begin genome sequencing to find ancestors of the victim(s) and go from there with building said family trees. Upon finding a close relative, they'll contact them for a final DNA comparison. Founded in 2017, the DNA Doe Project has already solved four identities: Marcia Lenore King (formerly The Buckskin Girl) Troy, OH, Lyle Stevik (family refusing to reveal his name to the public) Amanda Park, WA, Robert Ivan Nichols (formerly Joseph Newton Chandler III) Eastlake, OH, and more recently Sheep Flats Jane Doe (still awaiting final confirmation from the lab) Lake Tahoe, NV.

In a post to their Facebook page on July 21st, they listed upcoming cases that they are working on simultaneously, with one of those cases being Julie Doe, a transgender homicide victim from Florida, found in 1988. They didn't make a big deal out of it, (but I did; squealing in my seat with happiness!) neatly putting in their list near the bottom-I guess it's a good thing that they're not boasting about it; choosing not to single anyone out, since every case is important, BUT STILL! Either way, I'm excited.

According to the post, Julie Doe is at the lab awaiting extraction.

Standing at five-feet-ten inches tall and weighing approximately one-hundred seventy pounds, the mummified remains of an apparent homicide victim (originally thought to be a biological woman) were found clad in: a green tank top, acid wash skirt, and pantyhose in a wooded area of Green Swamp in Clermont, Florida on September 25, 1988. Although her cause of death is undetermined, the placement of her body suggests foul play. She was estimated to have been dead for eight months at the time of discovery.

The story made headlines in 2015 when it was reported that the victim with "pelvic area markings" was not in fact a biological woman who had given birth, but rather a transgender woman. It was surprising to investigators since she had laid in a morgue freezer for nearly thirty years with no one properly examining her. The discovery was made, as forensic scientists, using technology not available in the 1980's, studied Julie's DNA, finding she had the Y-chromosome; ruling out the belief that she carried at least one child during her life.

Check out the DNA Doe Project and give them a like on Facebook at DNA Doe Project

UPDATE: On September 6, 2018 DNA Doe Project let me know that Julie Doe's extraction failed the first round, but the agency approved a second attempt. We should have results within one month or so.

The Murder of Alana Kela (UNSOLVED)

In 1995 the body of a young woman was found at the bottom of a second-floor stairwell of a building in Manhattan, New York. She died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Her name was Alana Kela. She was a transgender showgirl born in Kauai, Hawaii and raised in Honolulu. She came from a loving and accepting family but chose to leave Hawaii for Chicago, Illinois to start her career as a nightclub entertainer. Kela was set cast at The Baton Show Lounge in Chicago, known for her Tahitian dance styling; referring to herself as a "hula girl" on an appearance she did on an episode of Jenny Jones in 1992. 

Alana was also an accomplished model and pageant competitor. She modeled alongside Candi Stratton for Starra, a clothing boutique catered to transgender women and cross-dressing men. As a pageant competitor, Alana placed second alternate in Miss Continental and performed a hula dance at Miss Florida in 1988 (see clip below). Clips of Alana competing in Miss Continental can be seen in the new documentary, The Queens, directed by Mark Saxenmeyer.

Not much is known to the public about Alana's death; I've found rumors online that she was murdered on her porch with a shotgun while wearing a nightgown and I've read comments saying she was shot with a handgun as she stepped out of a cab in New York City, but those are false. Kela was found dead on a second floor landing in an unknown building (to the public) in Manhattan, New York. My best guess is that it was an apartment building, but it hasn't been clarified. Some believe that Alana was the victim of one of her clients-to earn money, like most trans women do, Kela was a high-paid escort. It is believed that this particular client was infatuated with Alana; wanting more than to be a paying client-Alana wasn't interested. He may have been stalking her, ultimately surprising her at the top of the second floor of the building; shooting her with the reasoning "if I can't have you, no one will" but this hasn't been substantiated. With no DNA and a "mysterious man in a black coat who hung around the crime scene before and after" not being questioned, it's hard to tell if the case will ever be solved. 

Another theory is that Alana relocated to New York to re-start her career as a madam of her own escort service. Cunning, she stole a client list from a rival, more successful agency and when it was discovered that she would be attracting this rival's big customers, Kela was taken out by either the madam or one of her escorts. This also cannot be substantiated.

   

The Murder of Reyna Sandoval (UNSOLVED)

On February 26, 1995 Reyna Sandoval, 35, a transsexual woman and her friend were walking down the street from their home when they were attacked by a group of Hispanic men, most likely in retaliation of Reyna from something from the past year-and-a-half. The Hispanic men shot Reyna in the chest and head but let her friend live. Sandoval was found by police lying in the gutter clad in spandex pants and a red top.

Police briefly suspected her roommate (who's name has not been disclosed to the public) of the crime; however he was ruled out after his wounds could have only come from someone else attacking him. Police revealed in an interview with the L.A. Times that citizens leave tips to the police's voicemail but do not leave any of their contact information for a follow-up interview, so they don't have much to go on.

Reyna was well-known to police and people of the La Colonia neighborhood in Oxnard, California. She is remembered by friends as a friendly person who loved children, someone with whom no one had any problems.

NOTE: I don't have any pictures of Reyna at this time; however I plan to contact the agency investigating her case, soon to inquire as to if I may have pictures of her to use for this article. If they have any updates on her case, I will definitely post them here.

The Murders of Blanca Sanchez-Ayala and Cinthia Estoban (UNSOLVED)

This is the third and final article in the series of crimes involving the four transgender women murdered in California in 1990. This article profiles the murders of two friends, Blanca Sanchez-Ayala, 25 and Cinthia Estoban. Pictured below from left to right: Blanca Sanchez-Ayala, Cinthia Estoban.

On June 12, 1990 both women were murdered by a single gunshot wound to the head. The first victim out of the two to be found was Blanca Sanchez-Ayala. Originally from Tijuana, Mexico, Blanca was a burlesque dancer known in California, USA for her work at The Pastime Club. The club has since long been closed. Customers of the club told the Times Advocate (predecessor of North County Times) that everyone knew Blanca was transsexual and that she escorted. She was also a pickpocket; leading some patrons at the club to believe that she "picked the wrong pocket" or ran into a client who didn't know that she was transgender. These claims can't be substantiated.

Blanca was last seen clinging to life, unknown then by a park ranger, who saw the victim stumbling along State Route 78 at around ten p.m. He didn't think much of Ayala, other than that she must have been dazed and confused. He continued on to work, not checking on her until four hours later, most likely on his break. He found the victim slumped over on the side of San Pasqual Valley Road, still breathing. Blanca was transported to Palomar Medical Center, where she later died.

Her last night alive was pieced together by friends but doesn't explain her murder. Blanca's last night alive is as follows: she was last seen by friends on 21st and Market Street in San Diego (the street where just one week earlier a man was killed with another transsexual injured after a shooting occurred there). Ayala went to go buy sandwiches from a local supermarket, after borrowing twenty dollars from a friend. Shortly thereafter she must have been shot, as just minutes later she was seen by the park ranger.

At around seven a.m. the following day, the second victim, Cinthia Estoban was found fifty yards away from where Ayala's body was discovered. Cinthia was fully clothed; wearing a white skirt, white sandals, and a black one-piece bathing suit. She, like Blanca also died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Not much was known about Estoban, other than that she was new to the Escondido, California area.