FBI investigating after second Dallas transgender woman's murder
DALLAS - Dallas police are turning to the FBI after a second transgender woman was murdered in just weeks. It is also the fourth time since October that a black transgender woman is the victim of a violent crime in Dallas.
The body of 26-year-old Chynal Lindsey was pulled from White Rock Lake around 6 p.m. Saturday. Texas Game Wardens were able to recover it before storms arrived in the area.
Family members shared pictures of Lindsey before her transition as Jason Haslett to help generate any potential leads in the investigation.
In a Monday press conference, Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall says Lindsey showed obvious signs of homicidal violence.
Going back to 2015, there are four black transgender murders that remain unsolved. Chief Hall stressed they don't have the evidence right now that someone stalking the transgender community, but she has called on the FBI to join them with their investigations.
Lindsey’s body was found at White Rock Lake Saturday afternoon in the 4100 block of West Lawther Drive. The discovery of her body happened less than two weeks after police announced they were investigating similarities among three other attacks on transgender women in the last year, including Muhlaysia Booker.
Kirk Myers with Abounding Prosperity works with the Dallas transgender community and had been assisting Booker.
“If this is a community being targeted, we really need to know that,” he said. “And even aside from that again, the homicide rate in Dallas has been going up and it just happens to be marginalized communities. But I do not think that this is by chance or coincidence.”
The part of White Rock Lake where Lindsey’s body was discovered was about a mile from where Muhlaysia Booker’s body was found on May 18. Booker had been shot to death and dumped on a street that backs up to Tenison Park Golf Course. It's the same general area where the bodies of others have been found and where one transgender victim survived a stabbing attack.
READ MORE: Dallas PD investigating similarities in recent attacks on transgender women
Booker’s mother, Stephanie Houston, spoke for the first time outside of her child's funeral and talked to the transgender community.
“All lives matter. And this killing needs to stop,” Houston said. “Out in the streets, don’t nothing happen at night time and when no one's looking but crime. Keep yourself safe. Get off the streets. Be around the people that love and support you."
Members of the LGBTQ community attended Chief Hall's news conference.
A transgender woman who only identified herself as Jazmine relayed her concerns directly to the police chief.
“We don't feel comfortable or safe in our own communities,” Jazmine said.
She told FOX 4 afterward she's worried there may be a serial killer on the loose.
“All of the violence that's going on in my community and none of the murders are being solved,” Jazmine said. “That scares me. That scares me a lot.”
Chief Hall cautions the community from jumping to any conclusions.
“Right now, we don't have the evidence to substantiate that.”
And as investigators work to try and figure out if the crimes are connected, Jazmine has some advice for other transgender women.
“I encourage any transgender women out there always have your location on. Text people where you're going,” she said. “If you're going with somebody, send a picture of them to somebody that you know.”
Hall says FBI agents will help determine whether the crimes against transgender women are hate crimes. They will also help analyze any evidence that may be on hand from Lindsey's and Booker's murders to see if there are any dots that can be connected between their killers.