Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

‘I don’t fear death! I fear injustice!’

A 34-year-old Black transgender woman named Vanity Williams was killed in Houston on August 3, 2024. Her death came to our attention through HRC.

The Crime

Vanity was found shot to death in a Houston home.

From the Houston Police Department

HPD patrol officers responded to a shooting call at the apartment complex at the above address and found an unresponsive female with gunshot wounds.  Houston Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced the female, later identified as Ms. Williams, deceased.

Several days later, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana arrested the suspect in Vanity’s murder. Tristian Sanders, 26, was arrested after he was found at a home in the 600 Block of Lac Verret Drive in Luling. Sanders is in Louisiana custody awaiting extradition to Texas.

Honoring Vanity Williams

Vanity was born in Columbus, Mississippi. After graduating high school, she relocated to Houston, Texas. She studied at the University of Houston, According to friends, she was an Air Force veteran and recently began nursing school.

Vanity also used the name Chanel Williams on social media. Her friends told ABC she was a fan of makeup, nail art, and fashion. Her social media profiles suggest she was fluent in Spanish and Japanese. Vanity traveled throughout the US often visiting New York, DC, LA, and Florida. She appreciated a wide range of music and movies.

Friends have established a crowdfund to assist with final expenses and support Vanity’s loved ones.

There is no word yet on final arrangements.

The Context

That we know of, Vanity is the 31st trans person whose death has been reported in 2024. Reported means the death may have been earlier or that we do not have all of the details. You may notice in my list later in this post that I try to make some distinctions. As of this post, I have identified 26 individuals who were killed this year and 31 total individuals whose deaths became known to us this year.

I know this is confusing. Death cannot be neatly contained in data and reporting, but it is essential that we try to describe this epidemic of violence with every possible tool.

She is the 22nd trans woman, the 11th Black trans woman, and the 17th trans woman of color on our list. In total 22 out of the 26 individuals were BIPOC. As of this post, a trans person’s violent murder has been reported in the US every 7.3 days this year.

Texas is home to a significant number of deaths. From 2023:  Maria Jose Rivera Rivera (22) LaKendra Andrews (25) From 2022: Cypress Ramos  (21) Paloma Velasquez  (29) Marisela Castro  (39) From 2021: Aidelen Evans (24) Tiffany Thomas  (38) Iris Santos  (22) Miss CoCo (44) Za’Niyah Williams (21) Rubi Dominguez (29) Martina Caldera (38) Kier Laprice (Kartier) Solomon (21) From 2020: Helle Jae O’Regan  (20) Asia Jynaé Foster (22) Chae’Meshia Simms (39) and earlier in 2024 Diamond Cherish Brigman (38) was also killed in Texas as well as Dylan Gurley (20). In 2022, a 62 year old trans woman died in her apartment in Carrollton, Texas but had no living family to claim her. We don’t know what became of her remains. Her name was Deirdre Sterling.

At least 20 violent deaths from Texas alone since 2020. Texas truly is a deadly state for trans folx of all ages. We must support our neighbors who remain there out of necessity or defiance.

Rest in power, Vanity. You brought so much good and healing to this world, surrounding yourself with good friends and beautiful things while you served our country and pursued your aspirations. Thank you for the legacy you indelibly left in Houston and beyond. I hope the capture of the person who stole your life helps you rest knowing he cannot hurt another.

May your memory be a revolution.

This is Our List

This is our list of transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming neighbors who have been victims of the campaign of terror in 2024. Please do not copy, modify, or share this list without attribution.

Things have grown so complicated that I have separated out the deaths dated to 2024 from those reported this year, but took place in another ye

1. Kitty Monroe – January 1, 2024. Phoenix, Arizona. Age 43.
2. Nex Benedict – February 8, 2024. Owasso, Oklahoma. Age 16.
3. Righteous Torrence ‘T K’ Chevy Hill – February 29, Atlanta. Georgia. Age 35.
4. Reyna Hernandez – Between Feb 28 and March 28, location TBD. Age 54.
5. Diamond Cherish Brigman – March 16, 2024, Houston, Texas. Age 36.
6. Alex Franco – March 19, 2024. Salt Lake City, Utah. Age 21.
7. Meraxes Medina – March 19, 2024, Los Angeles, California. Age 24.
8. Cecilia Gentili – February 6, 2024, New YorkCity, New York. Age 52.
9. Lagend Billions aka Tee Arnold – April 7, 2024, Miami, Ohio. Age 36.
10. África Parrilla García – February 2, 2024, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Age 25.
11. Nevaeh ‘River’ Goddard – April 5, 2024,. Stow, Massachusetts. Age 17,
12. Andrea Doria Dos Passos – April 22, 2024, Miami, Florida. Age 37.
13. Sasha Williams – January 26, 2024, Las Vegas, Nevada. Age 36.
14. Kita Bee – May 3, 2024, Kansas City, Missouri. Age 46.
15. Starr Brown – April 19, Memphis, Tennessee. Age 28.
16. Jazlynn Johnson – May 6, 2024, Carson City, Nevada. Age 18.
17. Michelle Henry – May 15, 2024, San Francisco, California. Age 25.
18. Tayy Dior Thomas – May 7, 2024, Mobile, Alabama. Age 17
19. Pauly Likens – June 23, 2024, Sharon, Pennsylvania. Age 14
20. Shannon Boswell – July 2, 2024, Atlanta, Georgia. Age 30.
21. Liara Kaylee Tsai – June 22, 2024, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Age 35.
22. Kenji Spurgeon – July 1, 2024, Seattle, Washington. Age: 23
23. Monique Brooks – July 19, 2024. Orlando, Florida. Age 59.
24. Dylan Gurley – July 24, 2024. Denton, Texas. Age 20.
25. Tai Lathan – August 4, 2024. Baltimore, Maryland. Age 24.
26. Vanity Williams – August 3, 2024. Houston, Texas. Age 34.

Deaths reported in 2024 but took place in other years or need to be monitored for more information.

• Ryan Zimmerman – Sept 2015, Columbus OH Age 21 Murdered 2016, Identified 2020, reported 2024.
• Unknown Name – June 17, Denver, Colorado. Age unknown.
• Paris Rich Jessup – 13 June 2022, San Diego, California. Age 25.
• Kit Nelson-Mora, – 2021/2022 Washington State, 2022. Age 18.
• Niomi Jenkins – May 2024 San Francisco
• Morgan Moore – May 2022, Maryland. Age 17.