Remembering Our Dead: December 2016
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 December 2016 (see TDoR 2017: Say their names. Learn their stories. Remember them for an index covering the whole year).
[TRIGGER WARNING: VIOLENCE. MURDER]
Name Unknown
2 Dec 2016
Joao Pessoa (Brazil)
Asphyxiated
The body of the victim did not have weapon wounds. It is suspected that they died by asphyxiation.
Reported by TvT partner organisation Rede Trans Brasil & Informações Policiais e Portal correio 02/12/2016
M. Dias Machado
Age 23
3 Dec 2016
Pontal do Paraná, Paraná (Brazil)
Shot
M. was shot dead at a bus stop at around 6am on Saturday 3rd December 2016. When the police arrived, they found her already dead and lying in a pool of blood after having been shot at least 3 times in the head and armpit.
http://ilhadomelfm.com.br/travesti-e-assassinado-a-tiros-em-pontal-do-parana/
Andrea
Age 20
6 Dec 2016
Ciudad del Este (Paraguay)
Shot
Andrea was shot 6 times in the chest at around 10pm on Tuesday 6th December on San Blas Avenue in Ciudad del Este.
“They kill us because we are trans women, they kill us out of hatred, they kill us because they do not forgive us for having disobeyed their guidelines and their roles, they kill us because they know they are in a country that does not have the tools to protect us”
http://www.ultimahora.com/panambi-califico-asesinato-travesti-como-crimen-odio-n1045965.html
http://www.ultimahora.com/travesti-fallecio-recibir-seis-disparos-n1045893.html
Will Rhillary Silva
Age 18
7 Dec 2016
Viamão, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil)
Shot
Will was one of three victims shot and killed while standing in front of a snack bar when at least three men in a vehicle approached and opened fire.
Reported by TvT partner organisation Rede Trans Brasil & ZHPOLICIA, 07.12.2016
Name Unknown
7 Dec 2016
Realengo, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Shot
Military police found the unidentified victim shot dead in the street in Rua Dr. Lessa, in the Realengo neighborhood of the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro.
https://padremiguelnews.blogspot.com/2016/12/travesti-e-assassinado-tiros-em-realengo.html
https://www.facebook.com/PadreMiguelNews/posts/781750245296848
R. da Silva de Sá
Age 44
10 Dec 2016
Maceió, Alagoas (Brazil)
Shot
The victim was killed inside a bar with three gunshots in the area of the head. The perpetrator has not yet been identified by police.
Reported by TvT partner organisation Rede Trans Brasil & Alagoas 24 Horas, 10.12.2016
Ying
Age 28
13 Dec 2016
Nakhon Pathom (Thailand)
Suffocated
Ying’s body was found naked and face down to the floor. The perpetrators had criminal records, and one of them may have been involved in an affair with the victim’s girlfriend.
Reported by TvT partner organisation APTN & Manager, 13.12.2016
Gabi Aquino de Godoy
Age 17
14 Dec 2016
Curitiba, Paraná (Brazil)
Shot
Gabi was found dead in the street in Fazenda Rio Grande, in the metropolitan region of Curitiba. She had been shot in the head.
Subsequently Marlon Braz Vieira, 19, was arrested on suspicion of her murder.
http://www.bandab.com.br/seguranca/travesti-de-17-anos-e-assassinada-a-tiros-na-grande-curitiba/
Vasu Swamy
16 Dec 2016
Bangalore (India)
Cause of death unknown
According to community reports six former clients have been arrested.
Reported by TvT partner organisation APTN & https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=431052137283834&set=pb.100011371556957.-2207520000.1483509471.&type=3&theater
D. de Souza
Age 23
17 Dec 2016
Campos, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Shot
The victim was found lying dead on the ground with gunshot wounds to the neck and back.
TvT partner organization Rede Trans Brasil & Naldinho da Rádio, 17.12.2016
J. R. T. Gomes
Age 28
18 Dec 2016
Crato (Brazil)
Stoned
The victim was found stoned to death inside a graveyard.
Reported by TvT partner organization Rede Trans Brasil & Blog do Gesso 18/12/2016
W. Fabricio Ponce
20 Dec 2016
Banabi (Ecuador)
Tortured
On 20th December 20th three LGBT people were tortured, killed and their bodies incinerated inside a car.
Pagina facebook Octubre Trans en la Voz de sus Protagonistas & https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1346145425460708&id=340286619379932, 18.01.2017
http://www.teleamazonas.com/2016/12/macabro-hallazgo-tres-cuerpos-calcinados-manabi/
Gabriel Gomes
21 Dec 2016
Goiania, Goiás (Brazil)
Shot
Gabriel Gomes and F. Braz were shot 14 times on Wednesday 21st December 2016 while riding a motorcycle through Vila Regina, Goiânia.
Initial news reports described the victims as being two women, but Trans Brasil Network verified that Gabriel at least was a trans man.
http://www.nlucon.com/2016/12/dois-homens-trans-sao-mortos-tiros.html
F. Braz
21 Dec 2016
Goiania, Goiás (Brazil)
Shot
Gabriel Gomes and F. Braz were shot 14 times on Wednesday 21st December 2016 while riding a motorcycle through Vila Regina, Goiânia.
Initial news reports described the victims as being two women, but Trans Brasil Network verified that Gabriel at least was a trans man.
http://www.nlucon.com/2016/12/dois-homens-trans-sao-mortos-tiros.html
India Monroe
Age 29
21 Dec 2016
Newport News (USA)
Shot
India died at home from multiple gunshot wounds. There was no sign of forced entry.
https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2017/1/06/virginia-woman-27th-trans-person-murdered-2016
Paula Raio Laser
Age 50
22 Dec 2016
Fortaleza, Ceará (Brazil)
Shot
Paula was shot dead at the door of her own home in the neighborhood of Couto Fernandes (Regional IV), by two men riding a motorcycle. The killers have not been identified.
Sofía Mailén Santillán
Age 22
26 Dec 2016
Mercedes (Argentina)
Beaten
Sofia had been missing for 5 days when her body was found. She had been beaten to death.
https://www.laizquierdadiario.com/Travesticidio-en-Mercedes-justicia-por-Sofia-Mailen-Santillan
Jake Helen
31 Dec 2016
Contagem, Minas Gerais (Brazil)
Shot
Jake was shot 5 times. Her body was found on a highway.
A friend reported her murder on Facebook.
“I just arrived at IML for the recognition of Jake Helen, who was murdered with 5 shots, on 12/31/16, in Contagem. I’m very upset because I met her and I knew her for a long time. She was a good person, incredible … Now I will not rest until her killer is in jail.”
https://homofobiamata.wordpress.com/2016/12/31/jake-helen-tiros-mg-contagem/ [DEAD LINK]
https://www.facebook.com/dalciraferrao/posts/10210522734258095
Flávia Victoria Lima
31 Dec 2016
Sorocaba, São Paulo (Brazil)
Cause of death unknown
Flávia’s body remained in the morgue for 5 days and her death certificate recorded the cause of her death as respiratory insufficiency. Her death is still being investigated, with the hypothesis being overdose. However people close to her claim that it was murder.
Her Facebook profile is https://www.facebook.com/flaviavictoria.lima
Reported by TvT partner organisation Rede Trans Brasil, 31/12/2016
January 2017 >>
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.
