Family of Dallas transgender woman confront her murderer after he pleads guilty

DALLAS - Relatives of a murdered transgender woman told her convicted killer what he took from them.

37-year-old Kendrell Lyles received a 48-year prison sentence earlier this week after pleading guilty to the murder of Muhlaysia Booker.

Kendrell Lyles

"Damn you! Nothing but hell is going to come to you," said Stephanie Houston, Booker's mother.

The family of Booker gave emotional witness impact statements on Thursday.

"I hope your days in jail are a living hell you bastard," said one family member.

The murder trial was scheduled to start Monday, but Lyles pleaded guilty before jury selection.

With no trial, there was no testimony about why Booker and Lyles were together the night of her murder, but relatives gave some insight with their statements

"You just looked at her as a transgender prostitute, but she was more than that. I just pray that your days, they just be miserable. You need to suffer like my family has suffered," said Houston.

The 48-year sentence is despite family members wanting him to receive a life sentence.

In May 2019, Booker was found dead from a gunshot wound behind the Tenison Park Golf Course in East Dallas.

Lyles was connected to the deadly attack through cell phone records and a vehicle description, according to court documents.

During the investigation, police learned Lyles may have committed two additional murders in Collin County in May 2019.

"I hope every day of that 48 years that you live your life, I hope you remember over and over, I hope you can't even sleep at night knowing you took away a valuable person," said one family member.

In court, Booker's mother called Lyles the devil.

"It was finally just to look at the devil in his face. He has no soul, he has no feelings, he has no remorse," said Stephanie Houston.

Although this case was not pursued as a hate crim and the exact motive was not described in police records, Houston said transgender women, especially Black women should not be subjected to crimes based on their gender.

"I just want the girls to get off the street. In the Black community of trans, they do sex work to survive," she said. "I want them to know they can live long healthy lives.

Muhlaysia Booker

The assistant district attorney says they got justice for Muhlaysia Booker.

He stopped short of making any other comments, saying there is still pending cases in Collin County.