No arrests made in Dallas transgender woman's death
DALLAS - A transgender woman who survived a beating attack in an Oak Cliff apartment complex parking lot last month was found dead over the weekend in Far East Dallas.
Muhlaysia Booker, 23, was found shot to death Saturday morning in Far East Dallas. Her killing is bringing reaction from across Texas. No arrests have been made.
PREVIOUS STORY: Transgender woman who was attacked in Oak Cliff killed in shooting
Detectives have very little to go on. Muhlaysia’s body was left on a public street near the Tennyson Park Golf Course and a heavily wooded area. Someone out for a Saturday morning walk made the discovery a little before 7 a.m.
Pierre Booker has been distraught since Sunday afternoon when Dallas PD homicide detectives came to tell him his child, Muhlaysia was dead.
“He was like, ‘I hate to break this down to you. We found your child dead,’” Pierre recalled. “And I was mind boggled. You know what I’m saying?”
Muhlaysia was found dead on a deserted stretch of Valley Glen Drive. She was dumped by a gutter on the backside of the golf course.
Dallas police brought Councilmember Carolyn King Arnold to where Muhlaysia was discovered. She was shot and face down in the street.
“Everyone should have the right just to have quality of life and be able to just go where they want to go and just live,” Arnold said.
Muhlaysia survived a brutal beating attack at the Royal Crest Apartments Arnold's district only last month. The beating, which was recorded by cell phones, came after a minor accident. The man arrested, Edward Thomas, was allegedly offered $200 by someone to attack her.
Pierre says police told him Thomas is not a suspect in her murder. After the attack, Muhlaysia had been living in a safe house.
“It is very troubling that even with efforts to give her some support, this tragedy has been launched against her,” Arnold said.
Muhlaysia's murder moved politicians and groups across the state.
Equality Texas wrote, “We are devastated that Muhlaysia Booker has become the third transgender woman of color to be killed this year. We call upon the Dallas Police Department to pursue their investigation and find Muhlaysia’s killer(s)."
State Rep Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) has tried unsuccessfully since 2007 to strengthen protection for transgender people in Texas. His bills have gone nowhere.
Coleman wrote, “No Texan should be a target for violence based on who they are."
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings added his voice to those concerned.
“It’s terrible the transsexual lady that was killed this weekend that was already beaten up one before and trying to get to the heart of that,” Rawlings said.
That is the violence against Muhlaysia that's left her father brokenhearted.
No one deserves that,” Pierre said. “I wouldn’t wish to see a puppy get killed, that alone a human being.”
Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to Muhlaysia’s killers.