Remembering Our Dead: August 2017
Every year on or around 20th November people worldwide gather for the Transgender day of Remembrance to to remember the trans people we have lost to murder and violence in the past year, as reported by the Trans Murder Monitoring Project and published by Transgender Europe (TGEU).
The following are details of trans people known to have been killed worldwide during August 2017 (see TDoR 2017: Say their names. Learn their stories. Remember them for an index covering the whole year).
[TRIGGER WARNING: VIOLENCE. MURDER]
<< July 2017
Name Unknown
1 Aug 2017
João Pessoa (Brazil)
Shot
The victim was shot and killed at dawn in the Citex community in the Geisel neighborhood of Joao Pessoa. She had a bullet wound to the head and her body had several bruises.
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com/2017/08/02/nao-identificada-tiros-dh-pb-joao-pessoa/index.html [DEAD LINK]
http://zero83.com.br/noticia/travesti-e-assassinada-a-tiro-e
Charliene Silva Barreto
Age 25
2 Aug 2017
Itabuna (Brazil)
Shot
Charliene was shot multiple times in the head. Her posture suggested that she did not see the attack coming.
https://www.facebook.com/marcelo.cerqueira.351/posts/10155055416587979
https://goqueer.blogspot.com/2017/08/brazil-transgender-murdered-in-bahia.html
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com/2017/08/02/charliane-silva-barreto-25-anos-tiros-dhpp-ba-itabuna/ [DEAD LINK]
http://otempojornalismo.com.br/bahia/travesti-e-encontrada-morta-as-margens-da-br-101/
Mary Montilla
Age 26
2 Aug 2017
Palmeira dos Índios (Brazil)
Stabbed
Mary was chased and stabbed twice in the neck by two men after leaving a bar. The weapon used was found near her body.
https://goqueer.blogspot.com/2017/08/ref.html
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com/2017/08/02/mary-montilla-26-anos-facadas-al-palmeira-dos-indios/ [DEAD LINK]
http://arapiracanews.com/policia/2657/2017/08/02/travesti-e-morta-a-facadas-em-palmeira-dos-ndios
https://www.estadaoalagoas.com.br/travesti-e-assassinada-a-golpes-de-faca-em-palmeira-dos-indios/
Bruna Laclose
6 Aug 2017
Pinheiro Machado (Brazil)
Stabbed
Bruna was stabbed and died at the scene from her injuries. The suspect who killed her stabbed another victim later the same night.
Her Facebook profile is https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004693789404.
https://goqueer.blogspot.com/2017/08/brazil-transgender-woman-is-stabbed-to.html
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com/2017/08/06/bruna-laclose-facadas-rs-pinheiro-machado/ [DEAD LINK]
Sihle
Age not reported
6 Aug 2017
Eastern Cape (South Africa)
Stabbed
Sihle was on her way home after a night out at a bar in Duncan Village when a man made sexual advances at her. When she refused his advances, the man became aggressive and stabbed her.
TvT project: AWID, 09.08.2017
Paulinha da Silva
Age 38
8 Aug 2017
Palmares (Brazil)
Stabbed
Paulinha was a bar with a man, and after a while they left together. Later that evening a man approached her and stabbed her to death. It took seven hours for her body to be collected.
https://goqueer.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/brazil-transgender-woman-is-brutally.html
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/paulinha-prof-sexo-facadas-18a-do-pe-palmares/ [DEAD LINK]
https://portall19lajedo.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/homossexual-e-assassinado-tiros-em.html
Thalyta Pavanelly
Age 21
12 Aug 2017
João Pessoa (Brazil)
Shot
Thalyta was shot at least three times in the head while travelling along Ayrton Sena Avenue. She died instantly.
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com//2017/08/12/thalyta-pavanelly-21-anos-tiros-pb-joao-pessoa/index.html [DEAD LINK]
Gwynevere River Song
Age 26
12 Aug 2017
Waxahachie, Texas (USA)
Shot
Gwynevere was a nonbinary identifying trans person allegedly shot and killed at home by their father after an argument.
https://www.advocate.com/crime/2017/8/16/texan-17th-transgender-american-murdered-2017
J. Negrete
13 Aug 2017
Puebla (Mexico)
Beaten
J. was found dead with a bruise to her head in Hidalgo Street in the municipality of San Grabiel Chilac, in the area known as “La Chapopota”.
Cristal
Age 25
13 Aug 2017
Mazatepec, Morelos (Mexico)
Shot
Cristal and a cisgender woman named Viridiana were shot by two masked men. Cristal died at the scene and Viridiana in hospital.
https://www.diariodemorelos.com/noticias/asesinan-balazos-travesti-y-una-mujer-en-mazatepec
https://lasillarota.com/estados/fin-de-semana-violento-en-morelos-reportan-8-muertos/169873
http://ulisex.com/asesinan-a-balazos-en-la-calle-a-2-mujeres-en-morelos-era-chica-trans/
https://www.elsoldecuernavaca.com.mx/policia/ejecutan-a-dos-en-mazatepec
Sufaid
Age 17
14 Aug 2017
Nowshera (Pakistan)
Shot
Sufaid was shot dead in Khweshgi area of Nowshera district. The police arrested two people (identified as Amir and his accomplice Abid, both of whom had shared a home with Sufaid).
Kenicha
Age 16
15 Aug 2017
Pococí (Costa Rica)
Asphyxiated
Kenicha’s body was found in a wasteland by neighbours. She had been asphyxiated.
Akio Willy Costa Cruz
Age 35
18 Aug 2017
Ananindeua (Brazil)
Mutilated
It is not clear whether Akio identified as gay man or a transgender woman, but female pronouns were used in the original news report, which also referred to Akio as trans.
According to the police, Akio was killed at home by two men who had spent the night with her. After drinking alcoholic drinks, they killed and disembowelled her as well as plucking out her eyes and cutting off her genitals.
Two suspects were arrested and confessed to the crime.
https://goqueer.blogspot.com/2017/07/brazil-gay-man-was-gutted-and-had-his.html
http://www.diarioonline.com.br/noticias/policia/noticia-434219-.html
Ayelén Gómez
Age 31
18 Aug 2017
Tucuman (Argentina)
Asphyxiated
Ayelén went out to visit a friend but she never arrived. Her body was found showing signs of extreme violence near a sports club. She died from asphyxiation.
http://agenciapresentes.org/2017/08/13/travesticidio-tucuman-encontraron-ayelen-gomez-lawn-tennis/
In that same city, on April 19, 2012, she had been arrested, raped and abused by two policemen from the second section of San Miguel. Ayelén denounced these events as soon as [she] regained [her] freedom.
Dianna Della Vega
18 Aug 2017
Limoeiro (Brazil)
Shot
Neighbours searched for Dianna after noticing that she was missing. When they found her they discovered that she had been shot.
Her Facebook profile is https://www.facebook.com/isis.armany.
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com/2017/08/18/dianna-della-veja-cabeleireira-tiros-pe-limoeiro/index.html [DEAD LINK]
http://www.coisasdavida.net.br/2017/08/homossexual-foi-encontrado-morto-dentro.html
https://blogdoagreste.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/homicidios-assaltos-abuso-e-prisoes.html
J. López Anzola
Age 20
20 Aug 2017
Chiquinquirá(Venezuela)
Stabbed
J. was a nurse who worked in Chiquinquirá Hospital.
While waiting for a taxi to take her to a party a man tried to take her phone and stabbed her in the chest when she resisted. She died three hours later in hospital as a result of internal bleeding.
https://noticiasvideos1.com/le-asestaron-una-punalada-dos-hombres-asesinan-travesti-robarle-celular
http://versionfinal.com.ve/sucesos/asesinan-a-un-enfermero-para-robarle-el-celular/
http://www.laverdad.com/sucesos/125886-le-clavan-un-punal-a-travesti-para-robarlo.html
R. S. Durán
20 Aug 2017
Cuautla, Morelos (Mexico)
Shot
R. S. was a sex worker. Her body was found with gunshot wounds near an industrial estate.
https://www.elsoldepuebla.com.mx/local/estado/asesinan-a-travesti-de-tepexco-en-morelos-875781.html
J. D. Nava Adame
Age 17
21 Aug 2017
Chihuahua (Mexico)
Shot
J. D. was shot along with her cousin Magaly Muñoz Adame and five other people. Only her deadname is known.
https://www.elsoldeparral.com.mx/local/fiscalia-dio-a-conocer-que-uno-de-los-fallecidos-era-travesti
https://www.elsoldeparral.com.mx/local/identifican-a-otros-dos-de-los-siete-ejecutados-el-lunes
Evelin Ferrari
Age 23
22 Aug 2017
Caruaru (Brazil)
Shot
Evelin was homeless and a drug user. Local residents said that at around 2 am they heard gunshots and then a car leaving the scene at high speed.
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com/2017/08/22/evelin-ferrari-23-anos-tiros-pe-caruaru/index.html [DEAD LINK]
http://www.seligabelojardim.com.br/2017/08/travesti-e-assassinada-tiros-em.html
http://www.arletesantos.com.br/2017/08/travesti-evelin-ferrari-assassinado.html
Kiwi Herring
Age 30
22 Aug 2017
St Louis, Mississipi (USA)
Shot
Kiwi was shot 7 times by police in her home in front of her children. Friends and family dispute a report by the police claiming that Kiwi pulled a knife on them when they arrived near her home to answer calls about a domestic dispute.
She leaves behind a spouse and three children.
https://www.hrc.org/blog/kiwi-herring-shot-by-police-in-st.-louis-is-the-18th-known-transgender-pers
Name Unknown
22 Aug 2017
Veracruz (Mexico)
Shot
Armed people went to abar and shot indiscriminately killing two people — one of them a trans woman working as a waitress.
http://plumaslibres.com.mx/2017/08/22/asesinan-mesero-afuera-una-cantina-coatzacoalcos
Peluchina
23 Aug 2017
Colima (Mexico)
Stabbed
Peluchina’s throat was slit inside the Primaveras hotel. The identity of her killer is unknown.
http://www.colimanoticias.com/identifican-a-victima-de-asesinato-en-un-hotel-de-tecoman
Pepper K (“Phoenix”)
33 years old
25 Aug 2017
Mansfield, Ohio (USA)
Beaten
Phoenix was killed by another inmate while incarcerated in the Mansfield Correctional Institution. They were taken to an area hospital but died of their injuries on 25 August.
According to Wikipedia, they had participated in the Black and Pink LGBTQ prisoner online pen pal program.
http://nbc4i.com/2017/08/30/inmate-assaulted-in-mansfield-prison-has-died-ohio-patrol-says/
Note that Phoenix was not included in the TGEU list.
Misty
Age 29
27 Aug 2017
Usulutan (El Salvador)
Strangled
Misty was kidnapped by strangers who strangled her and put her body into a bag.
P.
Age 27
27 Aug 2017
Acapulco (Mexico)
Shot
P. was shot on her way to work. Only her deadname is known.
R. Ventura Márquez
Age 36
27 Aug 2017
Durango (Mexico)
Beaten
R. was beaten to death in her home. Only her deadname is known.
https://laguna.multimedios.com/laguna/encuentran-hombre-vestido-de-mujer-golpeado-muerte
Malvilis Trujillo
Age 17
27 Aug 2017
Tolima (Colombia)
Asphyxiated
Malvilis went to a hotel with two men but was found dead the following morning. Her body showed signs of violence.
Xaynna Shayuri Morganna (“Lili”)
Age 41
27 Aug 2017
Cachoeira (Brazil)
Lili was last seen alive at around 10pm running in front of the city forum. Several minutes later she was found shot dead in a fetal position on the banks of the Paraguaçu River in a busy area near the town square.
According to the police, preliminary investigations suggest out that Lili was killed by three men who were in a silver-colored Honda Civic car.
Lili was president of the Gay Group of Cachoeira Association and since 2010 had been one of the organisers of the Cachoeira LGBT pride parade. As a result of her death, the 2017 Pride (which was due to happen on 15th October 2017) was cancelled.
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com/2017/08/27/lili-41-anos-tiros-ba-cachoeira/index.html [DEAD LINK]
Chanda Sharmeeli
Age 25
30 Aug 2017
Karachi (Pakistan)
Shot
Chanda was shot dead when a group of men in a car threw rotten eggs at a group of transgender people standing in the street and then opened fire on them.
A friend told Al Jazeera that the men in the car were drunk and had tried to force the murdered person to sit in the car with them.
https://nation.com.pk/30-Aug-2017/transgender-killed-in-a-firing-incident-in-karachi
http://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/403439-Karachi-Transgender-killed-in-firing-incident
https://www.myzindagi.pk/blog/pakistani-transgenders-attack-karachi-chanda-sharmeeli-killed/
http://www.mambaonline.com/2017/08/31/one-dead-gunmen-opens-fire-transgender-women/
Name Unknown
31 Aug 2017
Chihuahua (Mexico)
The victim’s body was found in a decomposed state with a bag over her head. The cause of death is unknown.
http://ulisex.com/hallan-cadaver-de-posible-mujer-trans-en-un-pozo-de-aguas-pluviales-en-cd-juarez
Rest in peace. We will not forget.
TDoR 2017: Say their names. Learn their stories. Remember them
With thanks to the many volunteers reporting acts of violence against trans people worldwide, and in particular to Transgender Europe.