Body of Missing TWOC Elisha Walker Found in North Carolina

Friday, authorities in North Carolina announced that they had discovered the body of 20-year-old Elisha Walker, a trans woman of color who had been missing since

The body of Elisha Walker, a 20-year-old transgender woman who had been missing for almost a year, was found in a “crude grave” in Johnston County, North Carolina. According to advocates and local media, the discovery was made more than 100 miles from Walker’s home in Salisbury, North Carolina.
A Latin Kings gang member, Angel Dejesus Arias, 23, was arrested and charged with killing Walker and stealing her car, reports said on Thursday. He was being held without bond.

Elisha is the 5th trans woman of color whose death was reported this past week. Five in one week.

Elisha’s disappearance last October barely hit the media. She was misgendered. She was MISSING and the media was distributing inaccurate information. That’s quite a statement about the value of trans women.

Papi Edwards, 20, Louisville, January 9

Lamia Beard, 30, Norfolk on January 17

Ty Underwood, 24, Tyler TX on January 26

Yazmin Vash Payne, 33, LA on January 31

Taja de Jesus, 36, San Fran February 1

Penny Proud, 21, New Orleans February 10

Bri Golec, 22, Akron on February 13

Kristina Grant Infiniti, 47, Miami on February 15

London Chanel, 21, Philadelphia on May 18

Mercedes Williamson, 17, Alabama on May 30

India Clarke, 25, Tampa on July 22

K.C. Haggard, 66, Fresno on July 23

Amber Monroe, 20, Detroit on August 8

Ms. Shade Schuler, 22, Dallas, date of death unknown

Ashton O’Hara, 25, Detroit, July 14

Kandis Capri, 35, Phoenix, August 11

Elisha Walker, 25, Smithfield NC, date of death unknown

Audrey at Autostraddle has this to say.

The hashtags #SayHerName and #BlackTransLivesMatter are lifting these trans people up while national media and many activists pay little attention. The most important thing we can do as a community is listen to trans women of color and respond to their needs. They cannot bear this weight, grief and anger alone. We must repeat the names of these individuals and demand justice for them.

That’s one reason I continue to publish the full list of names in each post – to remind us that it isn’t just about a number of women, it is about actual women with names and ages and hometowns and hope and dreams. We can respond with compassion, supporting our local trans women of color and donating to fundraisers, attending vigils, etc. My fear is that people, however, will become overwhelmed by the mounting frequency of these posts by turning away. And that’s a fatal blow.

I wish I had something powerful and inspiring to share. I wish I could do more or say more or help.

Rest in power, Elisha Walker. This chapter of your story ends for you and I hope very much you find peace.

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