Tracy Single, a black transgender woman, was killed in Houston on 30 July.
The 22-year-old was found dead in a gas station; it took nearly two weeks for local authorities to ID her. LGBTQ activist Dee Dee Watters organised a town hall meeting, which finally led to Tracy being identified.
Houston’s law enforcement are calling for witnesses because there are currently no suspects in the case. Anyone with information should call the Houston Police Department Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.
“Rest in power and peace Tracy,” said trans advocate Monica Roberts. “You were taken away from us way too soon.”
Single is the 16th transgender casualty this year in the United States, after Dana Martin, Jazzaline Ware, Ashanti Carmon, Claire Legato, Muhlaysia Booker, Michelle Washington, Paris Cameron, Chynal Lindsey, Chanel Scurlock, Zoe Spears, Brooklyn Lindsey, Denali Berries Stuckey, Jordan Cofer and Pebbles LaDime “Dime” Doe.
Transgender women, in particular, face extraordinarily high levels of violence. Last year, 26 trans individuals were killed in the United States – a majority of which were black and Latina – and 25 of those were women.
If this story has affected you, you can contact Switchboard in the UK and The Trevor Project in the US.
Related: Remembering the 26 trans individuals who were murdered in the United States last year.