Transgender women murdered in Jacksonville, Fla., since the first of the year are, from left, Celine Walker, Antash’a English and Cathalina Christina James. Local trans advocates believe the murders may be the work of a serial killer.

Three transgender women have been shot to death since February in Jacksonville, Fla., and community activists there say they believe the shootings are the work of a serial killer.

Celine Walker, 36, was found shot to death inside a hotel room on Feb. 4; Antash’a English, 38, was found wounded between two abandoned houses on June 1 and later died at a hospital, and Cathalina Christina James, 24, was found shot to death at a hotel last Sunday, June 24.

The fourth victim, who was not publicly identified, was shot five times on June 8 but survived.

According to NBCNews.com, local activists say they believe the survivor was a victim of a domestic abuse, and that the attack on her is not related to the other shootings. However a press release from Equality Florida, dated June 26, says that all four cases remain unsolved.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is investigating the three killings as separate cases and released a statement saying that at this point it has no reason to believe that the murders are related. NBC News reports.

But the city’s trans community isn’t buying it. Not only do activists believe the murders are the work of one person, they say that by continuing to misgender the victims, law enforcement is not only being disrespectful, but possibly hampering the investigation, too.

Gina Duncan, director of transgender equality for Equality Florida and chair of TransAction Florida, said in a statement released Tuesday, June 26, that the city’s transgender community “is frightened. They fear this could be a serial killer or orchestrated violence targeting the community. They do not feel protected on their own streets.

“By misgendering these transgender women, the JSO disrespects their memory and impedes their own investigations,” Duncan continued. “These are out, trans women and that is how they are known in the community. All across the nation, law enforcement agencies have adopted protocols for responding to anti-transgender violence. They recognize that respecting the community builds trust and creates a willingness to share information that may catch a killer.”

Duncan said that she has been working with local trans advocacy groups since Walker’s murder nearly five months ago to educate the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to offer transgender cultural competency training and resources to “give law enforcement the most effective way to respond to violence against transgender people.”

She also said that JSO had contacted Equality Florida on Tuesday “to say they are considering the same Department of Justice-sanctioned training that other agencies have undergone.”

According to NBC News, police found Celine Walker’s body inside a room at the Extended Stay America hotel in Jacksonville’s Southpoint area. Antash’a English was found shot in the abdomen between two houses in northern Jacksonville. And Cathalina Cristina James was found shot to death at a Quality Inn and Suites about 10 miles south of where Walker was found.

JSO has not named any suspects in any of the shootings, but have said they are looking for a man in a beige car in connection with James’ death. And before she died, English said that the man who shot her had driven away in a gray, four-door vehicle.

Duncan and other advocates are encouraging “concerned citizens” to call the JSO at 904-630-2133 to “speak out against these murders and the way they are being handled by JSO.”

Kelly Pope of the Jacksonville Transgender Action Committee said, “During national Pride month, when others are out celebrating, our community is grieving. In fact, we are not just grieving. We are actively fearful for our own lives. We need all eyes on Jacksonville right now.”

— Tammye Nash