The Murder of Demarkis Stansberry (SOLVED)

Demarkis Stansberry was a thirty-year old transgender man who was murdered on February 27, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Demarkis was shot in the head by twenty-four-year old Nickolas Matthews, in what he claims was an "accident" after thinking he had unloaded all of his clip on New Year's Eve. Nickolas turned himself in to local police the day of the murder, later confessing to the crime. Demarkis was shot before 11:30 AM. Police entered the home to find Stansberry dead; pronouncing him as so at the scene of the crime.

Matthews is in custody at the parish jail on charges of: negligent homicide, illegal use of a weapon (Nickolas is a felon and is not legally able to own a gun), and possession of a firearm by a felon.

The motive for the murder is unknown; however according to Nickolas' brother Frederick, he claims he saw the murder weapon tucked into Nickolas' waistband, when he went to the home to pick up DJ equipment. At first Frederick claimed to have been in another room when the murder occurred; seeing an unknown perpetrator fleeing the scene but later changed his story to say his brother murdered Demarkis.

Despite an unknown motive, the murder was no accident. According to news outlets, Matthews had to have been standing next to Stansberry when he was shot, as the bullet entered his skull at point-blank range.

The Murder of Maya Young (SOLVED)

Maya Young was a twenty-five-year old transgender woman who was fatally stabbed on February 20, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by nineteen-year old Jose Pena and twenty-four-year old Tiffany Floyd.

Maya was found on February 20 by police on the 4800 block of Penn Street with multiple stab wounds to her neck and chest, still breathing, she was taken to Aria Frankford Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

It is unclear how Tiffany was caught; however Jose was ratted out by Tiffany, with police being able to verify that he was involved. The motive for the murder also remains unclear. Both are facing murder and conspiracy charges.

Transgender Woman Found Dead In Motel Bathtub-Was She Murdered?

Victoria Banks Cano was a transgender nurse originally from Pleasanton, Texas. On February 19, 2016 Victoria was found dead by police in a motel room bathtub at the El Mio on the 3500 block of Roosevelt Avenue. She was fully clothed with a little bit of water in the tub, but no obvious signs of trauma. Other patrons sharing the room with Cano were questioned; however the outcome of that questioning is unknown at the time of this writing. With no signs of trauma and no known statements from any of the other patrons, Trans True Crime asks "Was Victoria murdered? Or did she just die naturally in an unusual place?"

According to friends, Victoria was a certified nurse's assistant at a retirement home in Pleasanton. Despite working in Pleasanton, Cano had relocated to San Antonio, Texas in 2012.

Victoria is buried at San Jose Burial Park.

Is Kayden Clarke's Murder Actually Solved?

Today Trans True Crime will profile the case of transgender man, Kayden Clarke. Kayden is Trans True Crime's first trans male entry!

Kayden Clarke was a transgender man who became well-known on the internet when a video of him showing how his Rottweiler, Samson, helped him to deal with a breakdown. Clarke suffered from Asperger's Syndrome, a condition in which causes the person to ineffectively communicate and socialize with others.

After friend, Heather Allen called 911 asking police to check on Kayden, who had been sending emails to her complaining of suicidal thoughts, police responded saying they were already on their way. When police responded to Clarke's residence, without body cameras, they allege that Clarke ran at them wielding a knife. The cops felt alarmed, so they retaliated with gunfire; killing Kayden. He was just twenty-four-years old.

Clarke's mother, Stacia disputes police's claims; arguing that Kayden was not posing a threat when police came to his home; going on to say that the police barged into his home without permission. Soon thereafter they killed him for no apparent reason.

Samson, who was adopted by Kayden from friend, Heather Allen's HALO Animal Rescue shelter was taken in by his family.

With all of the hearsay from both sides, Trans True Crime asks the question, "Is Kayden Clarke's murder really solved?" 

The Murder of Jasmine Sierra (UNSOLVED)

Jasmine Sierra was a fifty-two-year old transgender woman who was murdered on January 22, 2016 in Bakersfield, California. She was found dead in her apartment on the 1000 block of Monterey Street by police who say her body showed obvious signs of trauma and that foul play is suspected. Police revealed that neighbors of Jasmine's heard gunshots and fighting from her residence; however police refuse to go into further detail, with the circumstances surrounding Sierra's death unknown.

A vigil was held on March 12, 2016 to honor Jasmine, as it took LGBT groups one month to realize Jasmine was murdered, because she was dead named by police and media outlets.

The Murder of Monica Loera (SOLVED)

Monica Loera was a transgender woman who was murdered on January 22, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Through using the website, Backpage to advertise her sexual services as an escort, Monica met her final client, a man named JonCasey Rowell. He shot her after he claimed "self-defense" alleging that after Loera asked him to get condoms from his car for their encounter (leaving behind his jacket and wallet in Monica's home in the process), when he returned Monica gave him his jacket but thought she had stolen his wallet (but it was in his jacket pocket). Angry, he went back to his car to retrieve a gun, which he used to shoot and kill Loera. He claims when he approached her door, she met him with a baseball bat, even though there was no bat recovered from her home. Roommates of Monica's heard a noise reminiscent of a firecracker; following with Loera saying "he shot me".

He most likely fled thereafter; returning home to his wife and then-ten day old baby. Described as a churchgoing tight-knit family with a love for guns, the state showed JonCasey's computer search history to jurors. The search history revealed an item from one day after Monica's murder which read "Approximately how many people get away with murder each year in The United States". Rowell then continued searching for transgender escorts. Thankfully no more people were harmed by this man.

Most likely caught from police searching his IP address, JonCasey was arrested and charged with murder. He was found guilty on November 6, 2017, in a trial which began on October 31 of the same year. Prosecutors asked for forty-five years; however Rowell was sentenced to only twenty years for the crime. 

The Murder of Lamia Beard (UNSOLVED)

Today Trans True Crime will be profiling the homicide of Lamia Beard, a transgender woman from Norfolk, Virginia. I didn't know Lamia; however this is personal for me, as Virginia is my home state.

Born on April 21, 1984 Lamia was a graduate of Lake Taylor High School, where she played in the marching band, later becoming a member of another band, the Norfolk State Spartan Legion Marching Band; well-versed in the instruments: flute, oboe, piccolo, cymbals, and piano. After graduation from high school in 2002, Beard was accepted on a full scholarship to Bethune Cook College. Fluent in French as well as English, she was fascinated with different cultures, often traveling to other areas. A music lover, Beard sang well, enjoyed dancing and was a pro with the makeup brush. Her favorite singer was Beyonce. Lamia is remembered as "walking in her truth as a genuine person and was wise beyond her years." She is loved by many for her humble and giving spirit.

On January 17, 2015 at four a.m. thirty-year old Lamia Beard was found on the 700 block of East 25th Street in Norfolk, Virginia on a sidewalk suffering from a gunshot wound. She was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital where she later died. Unsure with a motive or suspect in Beard's death, police were left "scratching their heads" as just two-and-a half hours later an unidentified man was shot on a nearby street, but investigators are not sure if both shootings are related. The unidentified male survived his injuries.

A crowdfunding campaign was set up to raise two-thousand dollars for Lamia's funeral expenses. It is unknown if that goal was met; however a viewing was held on January 25, 2015 with the funeral service being held the following day. She was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia.

As of the time of this writing, no new developments have been made public about the case and it is still unsolved.