A Trans Woman Murdered in an Abandon Building - UPDATE

Sad news...

London Chanel Allen, a trans woman, was murdered this past weekend. London was involved in an arguement that quickly moved into an assault. London was stabbed in the back and in the neck.

Here's more:

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said an argument between Chanel and her 31-year-old alleged attacker sparked the deadly incident inside a middle bedroom on the third floor of the house. The verbal tiff soon grew into a physical fight that ended with Chanel being stabbed twice in the back and once in the neck, according to Small.

The attacker and another person, who witnessed the stabbing, carried the woman downstairs and placed her on quilts outside the home. They were doing CPR on the victim when they saw a School District of Philadelphia officer nearby.
Small said they flagged the officer down for help who then called Philadelphia Police.

Officers rushed the victim to Hahnemann University Hospital where she was pronounced dead just after 1 a.m., police said. Nellie Fitzpatrick, Director of LGBT Affairs for the city, confirmed Monday afternoon that Chanel was a member of the transgender community and said she was "devastated" by the loss.

There's been no arrest as of yet. Sadly, this is the 8th known murder of a Trans woman of color.

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Update from Buzzfeed

An Arrest made in the Murder of Transgender Woman Islan Nettles

Islan's Mom, Delores

Some good news on the Islan Nettles case.

There has been an arrest has been made in her murder. Her mother Delores Nettles said that the prosecutors told her about the arrest.

HuffPo reports

"I'm overwhelmed," Nettles said. "I still want to know the facts, but it's been a long time coming." 

The New York Police Department did not immediately return a request for comment from The Huffington Post. The Manhattan District Attorney's office declined comment when reached by DNA Info.

The name of the suspect was not known nor were the charges they could face.
On Aug. 17, 2013, Nettles was walking with friends in the early morning near her home in Harlem when they ran into a group of young men outside a police precinct. A fight ensued, and Nettles, who was knocked to the ground and beaten by one of the young men, slipped into a coma. A few days later, she died.

Police initially charged Paris Wilson, 20, with misdemeanor assault. Nettles' friends and family were upset that the charge had not been homicide. Then another man came forward and confessed to the beating, but said he was too drunk to remember any of the details. That man was not charged. Charges were also dropped against Wilson.

More to come of this story.

At Chapel Hill: Three Muslim Students were Gunned Down

This story is so heartbreaking.

Last night, three Muslim-American students were gunned down by a disgruntled man. The students were Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife, Yusor Mohammad, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19. Deah was a dental student at UNC-Chapel Hill, and Yusor and Razan attended NC State.

The man who gunned them down is 46-year-old Craig Stephen Hicks.

He turned himself into police not too long after the murders. At this time, we don't know why he did this. Some articles are saying the murders were triggered over a parking issue, but nothing's been confirmed. However, we do know that he lived in the same neighborhood as the victims.

On a side note, Deah was a star student in the dental program. According to Colorlines, Deah was planning to travel to Turkey to be a part of Project Refugee Smiles to provide free dental care to Syrians fleeing civil war.

This is so sad and unfortunate that they lost their lives over nothing.

In the Philippines: A U.S. Marine was charged with the Murder of a Transgender Woman

Sad news, folks.

A trans woman named Jennifer Laude was killed by 19-year-old Marine, Pfc. Scott Pemberton in the Philippines. Scott is being held in a Philippine camp, under American custody.

Buzzfeed reports:

“The United States will continue to fully cooperate with Philippine law enforcement authorities in every aspect of the investigation,” the U.S. Embassy said in statement.
According to local media reports, Laude checked into the Celzone Lodge with a “male, white foreigner” on Saturday night. Eyewitnesses described the man as having “white complexion, with marine-style cut of hair,” standing between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 and between 25 and 30 years old, Inquirer.net reported.

Minutes after he entered the room with Laude, the man was seen leaving the hotel alone. A hotel attendant discovered Laude’s body slumped in the toilet of the room later that night, according to police. Police said Laude showed signs of strangulation.
The victim’s friend told police that Laude met the suspect at a bar and accompanied them to the hotel. However, Laude asked the friend to leave before the suspect could discover they were transgender, according to Inquirer.net.

You can check out more info on Inquirer.net, however they are not up on the Trans language. My heart goes out to Jennifer’s family and friends.

Rest in Peace Yaz'min Shancez

Transwoman Yaz'min Shancez was brutally murdered. She was burned and found behind a dumpster off Fowler Street last Thursday in Fort Myers, FL.

Yesterday, the community held a vigil for her. To friends and family, Yaz'min was a great person and a true friend. She was fighter and a believer... She didn't deserve to die like this. No one does.

However, it's becoming an all too familiar story for Trans women of color. These stories are always hard to hear because they are consistently reminded of the dangers out there. As I always say, PLEASE look after each other and support our Trans family. Yaz'min deserved to live a good long life.

She deserved better.

R.I.P. Yaz'min.

Also to help with her burial, please go here 

‘Murder, She Wrote’ Reboot with Octavia Spencer? Possibly

This is something.

NBC is looking to possibly reboot Murder, She Wrote. And get this, the Angela Lansbury character will be played by Oscar winner Octavia Spencer.

According to Deadline, the series will be very updated and fun.

Described as a light, contemporary procedural in the vein of Bones or Fargo, it follows a hospital administrator and amateur sleuth (Spencer) who self-publishes her first mystery novel. Set in a day where sensational headlines inundate the news, this woman’s avid fascination with true crime leads her to become an active participant in the investigations.

What do you think, it could work.

In Queens: A Man was Brutally Murdered because he was believed to be Gay

22-year-old Steven Torres killed a man because he thought he was gay. Steven brutally stabbed 69-year-old Edward Orozco in daylight. In frakking daylight, in Elmhurst, Queens!

According to the police, Steven said that Edward was blowing kisses at him. For what ever reason, that set Steven off and he attacked Edward. Edward was screaming for help and no one helped him at all. That poor man died and no one tried to stop Steven.

The police caught Steven and took him away. He will be charged with a Hate Crime.

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A Vigil for Islan Nettles is set for Tomorrow

A vigil for Islan Nettles is scheduled for tomorrow in Harlem. If you don't remember my post, Islan was a trans woman who was brutality beaten across the street from the police station in Harlem.

Harlem Pride posted this message on their FB page:

Thank you so much for your patience and support. We now have the information for the vigil. Please keep in mind that this is a celebration of Islan Nettles, her love of life and an opportunity for the community to come together in unity and peace.

Date:
Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Location:
Jackie Robinson Park
Entrance on W. 148th Street @ Bradhurst Avenue
Harlem, NY
(This is down the street from the location of the incident.)

Time: 6PM

Thank you all for your care and attention to this matter. Please feel free to forward this email to other individuals/organizations.

Best wishes,
Harlem Pride, Inc.

In Harlem: A Transgender Woman was Savagely Beaten across the street from the Police Station

What is really going on?

A transgender woman named, Islan Nettles was a victim of a savage hate crime that actually across a the street from a police station last Saturday.

Seriously, across the street from the police station!

After fighting for her life the last few days, Islan was declared brain dead and taken off life support. Her murderer was arrested and his charges will be upgraded from a misdemeanor soon. But I can't get over the fact, that no one helped Islan or that she was beaten so close to a police station... That's outrageous to me!

To the friends and family of Islan. Stay strong and remember the good times.

RIP Islan.

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Transgender Woman and Actress Domonique Newburn was found Dead

Sad news


Domonique was one of the stars of the Youtube series, Hollywood Houseboys

I hope the murderer is found... RIP Domonique

Mark Carson's Murderer: 'Guy thought he was tough in front of his b---- so I shot him. Diagnosis is dead, doctor.'

Elliot Morales, the man who shot and killed Mark Carson in the West Village pleads not guilty yesterday.

Elliot bragged about killing Mark to the cops, and had more to say that night. According to NY Daily News, Elliot said:

"He thought he was tough, and I shot him. It's the last thing he'll remember," and
"Guy thought he was tough in front of his b---- so I shot him. Diagnosis is dead, doctor."

These statements are in the court documents, noted in yesterday's arraignment. This man is sick, I want him to get help and pay for what he has done.

Mark Carson's Killer Laughed and Bragged about the Murder in Greenwich Village

Mark Carson's killer was proud of what he did. Elliot Morales reportedly laughed about the murder.

From the NYP:

“Yeah, I shot him in the head,” sneered Elliot Morales, 33, while “laughing on the ground” when cops were handcuffing him for shooting Mark Carson, 32, early Saturday morning.

Elliot Morales is being held without bail on charges for second-degree murder with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. The incident is also charged as a hate crime.


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In Cleveland: Trans Woman found dead in a Pond

The body of transgender woman was found in a pond near Cleveland this week.

Cemia “Ci Ci” Dove was brutally murdered. She was stabbed and tossed in the pond with a rope around her waist, tied to a concrete block. She was missing for a month.

This is just one of the many deaths we have within the transgender community. Many of our trans family are murdered brutally, it's a sad reality.

And it's also sad how the media continues to get these stories wrong. A lot of time, they report the incidents using the wrong info, name or gender.

TransGriot gives great advice to journalists on how to report trans stories. Monica also share more info on Cemia and outreach in the Cleveland.

I hope they can find her murderer, Cemia's death should not go unsolved.

Mississippi Gay Mayoral Candidate was dragged and Burned

More details about the Mississippi mayoral candidate Marco McMillian's death.

He was beaten, dragged and burned.

Here's more:

“We feel this was not a random act of violence based on the condition of the body when it was found,” the McMillian family said. “Marco, nor anyone, should have their lives end in this manner.”

The family, which said it learned details of the murder from the coroner, asked for a full and thorough investigation into the 33-year-old’s death.

The Coahoma County Sheriff’s Department, which is leading the investigation, didn’t immediately have a response to the family’s statement.

Marco McMillian’s body was found near the Mississippi River. Lawrence Reed has been charged for Marco's death. At this time, the murder is not considered as a hate crime.

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UPDATE: Mississippi Gay Mayor Candidate Found Dead.... Man Arrested for the Murder

Gay Mississippi mayoral candidate, Marco McMillian was found dead a couple days ago. His death is being investigated as a homicide.

Coahoma County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday in a news release on its Facebook page that the body of 34-year-old Marco McMillian, a Democratic candidate for mayor of Clarksdale, Miss., was found in Coahoma County earlier in the day.

The body was found in the woods near the Mississippi-Yazoo levee, about 30 miles away from a roadway where McMillian's car crashed while being driven by another person, County Coroner Scotty Meredith said.

Meredith added that investigators were treating the case as a homicide until they could prove otherwise.

A person of interest was in custody, but had not been formally charged, Will Rooker, a spokesman for the Coahoma County Sheriff's Office, told ABC News.

Police did not identify the person of interest.

This is horrible news. There is so much running in my head. More to come on this story.

UPDATE a man was arrested today:

A 22-year-old man was charged with murder Thursday in the death of a mayoral candidate in the Mississippi Delta. 

The Coahoma County Sheriff's Department said in a news release that Lawrence Reed of Shelby was charged in the death of Marco McMillian. McMillian, 34, was a candidate for mayor of Clarksdale and was well-known in the community and beyond.
An investigation began Tuesday when a man crashed McMillian's SUV into another car on U.S. Highway 49 near the Coahoma and Tallahatchie county lines. The candidate wasn't in the car.

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Two teens Charged with the murder of Terrance Wright

Two teens have been charged with the murder of Terrance Wright. Weeks ago, I questioned if his murder was a hate crime. At this time, it's not considered one, but the sad pieces about this incident are the ages of the murderers... 16 and 14.

Jarone Carter, 16, and an unnamed 14-year-old were charged with first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Jarone will be charged as an adult and the 14-year old will be charged as a juvenile. I will keep you folks posted on this case as they move forward. It's truly a shame to see this behavior among our youth.

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A Trans Woman found Murdered in an Abandon Building

A young trans woman was found murdered in an urban area in Chicago.

Here's more:

Tiffany Gooden, 19, was found in an abandoned building on the city's West Side, according to Windy City Times. Reporter Kate Sosin says that Gooden had suffered multiple stab wounds and incised wounds and the death has been ruled a homicide.

Brian Turner, an outreach coordinator at Taskforce Prevention and Community Services on the West Side, told Sosin that he wasn't sure if Gooden identified as transgender or used a female name and pronouns exclusively.

So far, no one has been arrested or questioned. Be careful out there, Trans fam.

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A Sketch of the Lesbian Couple Shooter released

A few weeks ago, we heard about the shooting of the teen lesbian couple in Texas. Mollie Olgin died, while Mary Chapa survived.

The cops have been busy gathering info on who possibly attacked the couple. Now with the help of a witness, we have an idea of the attacker. He is described as skinny and in his 20s.


I hope more witnesses come out and help catch this killer.


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In South Africa: A Man was Beheaded because of his Sexuality

Sad and horrific news, y'all.

A young man named, Thapelo Makutle, was murdered over the weekend in the Northern Cape. His throat was slashed and then, he was beheaded all because of his sexuality.

Mambaonline.com has more to this story:

His two attackers are believed to have followed him to the room where he lived and on Saturday cut his throat, decapitating him. 

They left his body under a blanket as though he were sleeping.

Makutle, who identified as both gay and transgender, was a volunteer for Legbo Northern Cape. He recently participated in the Kimberley Out In Africa Gay and Lesbian Festival, was known as a beauty queen named Queen Bling and was recently crowned Miss Gay Kuruman.

"It's so sad. I can't describe the pain that we are feeling right now," Shaine Griqua, director of Legbo Northern Cape, told Mambaonline. "We have lost a young, talented, gay man who was open about who he was. The last few days have been like a dark cloud."

He said that no arrests have yet been made in connection with the murder. He expressed his frustration with the lack of support for LGBT people in the Northern Cape and noted that hate crimes are on the rise in the province.

I wonder if the LGBT community is in fear of speaking out. This murder has to be investigated or more violence will continue. I hope the community find the strength to stand firm and demand justice for this horrific murder.

Transgender Woman Brandy Martell was Murdered, could be a Hate Crime -VIDEO

We lost another one. Brandy Martell was shot to death a block away from Oakland's City Hall. Her friends believe it was a hate crime.

37-year-old Brandy Martell was sitting behind the wheel of her car around 5:15 a.m. Sunday when one or two men walked up and began a conversation. A witness told ABC7 the conversation was cordial, but then a few minutes later, one of the men became angry and fired into the car right where Martell was sitting. 

 Until late last year, Martell worked as an outreach worker at the Tri-City Health Center in Fremont which serves the transgender and transsexual community. "When you don't provide a space in society for people who you think are the other or different, especially transgender women, especially transgender women of color, when you don't provide spaces for them to be in a safe environment or a safe space, whether it's socializing or services, this is what happens," Martell's friend Tiffany Woods told ABC 7

Friends gathered on Sunday to remember Brandy.