Kenji Spurgeon, a 23-year-old Black transgender woman, was described by her family as being a “bright light in our lives” on a GoFundMe page. They go on to say that Kenji was known for having “an infectious smile and quick wit” and had an “extraordinary ability to uplift everyone around with laughter, a joke, a song, or a dance. Kenji inspired us all to seek joy and be cheerleaders for one another.”

Tragically, Kenji was shot and killed in the early morning hours of July 1, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.

Shannon Boswell, a 30-year-old Black transgender woman, is remembered as “one of a kind” and a “sweet soul” according to her obituary. Shannon was killed on July 2, 2024, in Atlanta. Her life was honored on July 13th, with a service filled with loved ones and friends sharing fond memories of Shannon. Shannon was someone who “loved people” and enjoyed hobbies of “watching movies and living life to the fullest.” A friend described Shannon as their “best friend” and “dear friend” who was always there when you needed her.

Pauly Likens, a 14-year-old transgender girl, was “a bright and loving individual, cherished by all who knew them,” according to a GoFundMe page. In Pauly’s obituary, it is said that she “lit up every room she entered, always making people smile and passing around her contagious laughter.” She loved music, Fortnite and Roblox.

Pauly was found dead in Sharon, Pennsylvania on June 25, 2024. She was last seen on June 23 at the Budd Street Public Park in Morristown, NJ. Two days later, on June 25, Pauly was reported missing. That same day, Pauly’s dismembered body was found in the Shenango River Lake, a reservoir in western Pennsylvania, as confirmed by the Mercer County Coroner’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police.

Liara Tsai, a 35-year-old white transgender woman, was found dead in a vehicle after the car crashed in Iowa on Saturday June 22nd; evidence from the scene confirms she was killed prior to the car crash. Liara, who was described by friends and loved ones as an activist and an artist, had moved to Minneapolis just 6 weeks prior to her death, in order to better pursue her career as a DJ, in a city with a large trans community.

Jazlynn Johnson, an 18-year-old transgender teenager, was killed on May 6, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to police reports, The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department found Johnson inside a vehicle on the morning of May 6 near Maryland Parkway in Las Vegas. Jazlynn was pronounced dead at the scene. Soon after, the Clarke County coroner’s office ruled her death a homicide.

Yella (Robert) Clark Jr., a 45-year-old Black transgender person, who was serving a life sentence at Angola prison in Louisiana, was killed in a fight with several other inmates on April 2, 2024. With Yella, misreporting and misgendering in initial reports led to delays in HRC’s own reporting. Most articles referred to them with their birth name and sex assigned at birth, though evidence suggests Clark may have used both Yella and Robert (their birth name) in prison. They identified as transgender, had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and had begun taking female hormones to physically transition while incarcerated.

Michelle Henry, a 25-year-old Black transgender woman, lived in San Francisco, where she had been a lifelong active member of the LGBTQ+ community, including attending the SF LGBT Center youth program. She was referred to as a “ray of light” by the center’s Executive Director Rebecca Rolfe, who further described Michelle as "kind, deeply caring, courageous, and fearless."

Sadly, on May 15, 2024, she was stabbed and killed at a private residence. While her alleged killer has been detained, the SF Police Department put out a statement this is an "open and active investigation," and has requested anyone with information call the SFPD Tip Line (1-415-575-4444) or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.

Brandon "Tayy Dior" Thomas, a 17-year-old Black transgender girl in Mobile, Alabama, was beloved by her friends and family. Speaking with HRC, her grandmother described Tayy as someone who “always had a huge smile on her face showing her dimples,” and that she loved doing her hair and “would help anyone.” She was further described as “shy but so fearless” with “natural leadership ability.” Tragically, she was shot and killed on May 7, 2024; her alleged killer, who has been arrested, was her romantic partner.

Reyna Hernandez, a 54-year-old Latina transgender woman, was born in Mexico, and moved to the United States when she was 19. She owned Reyna’s Hair Salon in Renton, the fulfillment of a childhood dream. She was described by friends and family as a “happy, loving person,” and a “dreamer” who was “hard-working and kind.”

Reyna was shot and killed in Renton, Washington on February 26, 2024.

Kita Bee was described as “her authentic self through and through” by her friend of almost two decades, Kris Wade, executive director of The Justice Project, who also said that Kita was “very well loved in the streets," meaning the LGBTQ+ community. Kita, a 46-year-old transgender Black woman, was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 3, 2024.

Starr Brown, a Black trans woman, was show and killed in Memphis, Tennessee on April 19, 2024. Across social media posts, the love her community felt for her was clear, with loved ones describing her as someone who was “TRULY loved,” “always had uplifting words,” “one of the sweetest,” and a “beautiful soul.” A balloon release was held in her honor at the site of her passing on Friday April 26th, and a memorial service was held on May 4th.

Sasha Williams, a 36-year-old multiracial transgender woman, was described as a “selfless artist” who had a “heart of gold”, and as someone who had earned their GED despite struggling with her mental health, according to media reports. In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Williams’s aunt Tina Thornton said that she dreamed of being a performer in Las Vegas.

Sasha was stabbed and killed in Las Vegas, Nevada. Though her death occurred on January 26, 2024, HRC learned of her passing in late March.

Andrea Doria Dos Passos was killed outside of the Miami City Ballet in Miami, Florida on April 23 , 2024. She was experiencing homelessness at the time of her death, and had been dealing with housing insecurity for some time, as reported by her family.

On April 25, a vigil for Andrea was held in Miami Beach’s Old City Hall, organized by Pridelines, a local LGBTQ+ community center with which Andrea was connected. Andrea’s mom, who was in attendance, expressed gratitude for the community and life Andrea had been able to build before her death, noting “I feel a bit lighter knowing that she had this group of people who loved her and accepted her."

According to their obituary, River Nevaeh Goddard "had an amazing, outgoing personality. She was very creative and artistic, she loved to write her own music. Her cuddly nature was only matched by her quick wit, and goofiness.” River, who used she/they pronouns, also went by Phoenixx and their birth name Neveah. On April 5, 2024, Stow, Massachusetts police responded to a call for a wellness check. Police were able to make their way inside the home after two hours and found River had been killed by stabbing.

Tee "Lagend Billions" Arnold, a 36-year-old Black transgender man, was shot and killed in Hallandale Beach, Florida on April 3, 2024. Tee was known among friends and family for his love of travel, his nieces and nephews, and for "always offering words of encouragement" to loved ones in need.

África Parrilla García a 25-year-old transgender woman also referred to sometimes as Emma Garcia, was shot and killed in the Santurce area of San Juan, Puerto Rico on February 2, 2024. Details about Africa's life have been slow to emerge, as she was initially misgendered and deadnamed in news reports and police records. However, friends have begun to speak out about Africa's life and death, noting she was loved, and like "a sister" to them.

Meraxes Medina, a 24-year-old Latina transgender woman, was called a “sister” by her friend Alisha Veneno on a GoFoundMe page, saying Meraxes “was more than just my friend.” According to her own Instagram account and a blog post by Pgh Lesbian Correspondents, Meraxes was a makeup artist who also worked at Universal Studios Hollywood, enjoyed shopping and watching the Jurassic Park movie series, and admired Shakira and Karol G.

Alex Taylor Franco, a 21-year-old transgender man, was shot and killed in Taylorsville, Utah on March 17, 2024. At a vigil held in his honor, Alex’s loved ones described him as “an athletic, cheerful man with a big heart,” who was “so much more than just Alex.”

Diamond Brigman was a Black 26-year-old trans woman. She was described by her friend as “larger than life.” She was killed during a drive-by shooting while standing on a street in Houston. Her death, and those of other trans people in Texas, underscore the need for significant and immediate legislative changes.

Righteous TK “Chevy” Hill, a 35-year-old Black transman known to his friends and family as TK and Chevy, pushed for Black LGBTQ+ inclusion throughout his community. Chevy opened ‘Evollusion,’ a full-service hair salon dedicated to serving the LGBTQIA+ community in Atlanta, to help Black queer people feel comfortable in a traditional Black barbershop setting.

Chevy was tragically shot and killed in East Point, Georgia on February 28, 2024, in the front yard of his home.

Kitty Monroe, who also went by their birth name Marcos Lugo, was a 43-year-old Latine transgender person who was known for painting, singing, and having a great sense of humor. In April 2023, Kitty spoke about her experiences as a transgender person in a powerful interview for the YouTube channel Tales from the Streets. Tragically, Kitty was killed in Phoenix, Arizona on January 1, 2024.