Like the vast majority of at least 22 trans murder victims in 2015, 43-year-old Monica Loera of Austin was a woman of color.
Loera, a Latina, was also reportedly involved in sex work, a major risk factor for trans women who sometimes turn to the profession due to employment discrimination and other factors.
In the wake of her death, Loera was misgendered by both police and the media, referred to by masculine pronouns and her birth name.
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According to The Austin Statesman, Loera was fatally shot in the front door of her home at about 3 a.m. by JonCasey William Rowell, 29.
Investigators found text messages to Rowell on Loera’s phone, in which she’d given him directions to her residence earlier in the evening. Neighbors saw a man in a black pickup truck — matching the description of one owned by Rowell — arrive at Loera’s home and go inside with her before leaving.
The man returned a short time later and was seen patting his pockets before knocking loudly on the door. When Loera answered, he shot her. Loera’s roommate told police she sometimes stole items from clients, and investigators found Rowell’s student ID in Loera’s room.
The travesty here is that she died and that news outlets didn't refer to her in proper pronouns afterwards.
But, she stole from him and was a sex worker. And while this isn't any excuse that kill someone, it kinda eliminates the idea that she was killed just because she was trans.
The travesty here is that she died and that news outlets didn't refer to her in proper pronouns afterwards.
But, she stole from him and was a sex worker. And while this isn't any excuse that kill someone, it kinda eliminates the idea that she was killed just because she was trans.
she wasn't killed for being trans