Iris Santos

Houston police say they are continuing their investigation into the April 23 murder of transgender woman Iris Santos, 22.

According to reports, Santos was sitting at a picnic table outside of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in the 8600 block of Westheimer Road at about 9:30 p.m. when an unknown suspect approached and opened fire, striking several times. The restaurant manager called emergency services; Santos was transported to a local hospital where she was declared dead.

Anyone with information about murder of Iris Santos is asked to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

LGBTQ Nation notes that Santos’ murder comes less than six months after another trans woman, Asia Jynae Foster, was murdered in Houston on Transgender Day of Remembrance, Nov. 20, 2020.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, Santos is at least the 18th transgender gender-non-conforming person to die violently in the U.S. since Jan. 1. HRC, whose list does not yet include Santos’ name, put the trans death toll for 2020 at 44, one of the deadliest years on record.

But according to PGH Lesbian Correspondents, Santos is the 21st trans/non-binary/non-gender-confirming person to die violently so far in 2021. PGH notes that 19 of the victims have been BIPOC, and that Santos was the fifth who identified as Latinx. PGH also reports that 15 of the victims have been under the age of 30.

SAY THEIR NAMES

Following is a list of gender/non-binary/gender non-confirming people who have died violently since Jan. 21, compiled from lists found at PGH Lesbian Correspondents and HRC:

  • Tyianna Davarea Alexandra, 28, shot to death Jan. 6 in Chicago.
  • Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín, 21, shot to death Jan. 9 in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico (at least the 7th trans person murdered in Puerto Rico in less than a year).
  • Bianca ‘Muffin’ Bankz, 31, shot to death Jan. 21 in an apparent murder/suicide in Atlanta, Ga. The body of her suspected killer was found in her apartment, too.
  • Dominique Jackson, 30, shot to death Jan. 25 in Jackson, Miss.
  • Fifty Bandzzz, shot to death Jan. 28 in Baton Rouge by her former boyfriend, Michael Joshua Brooks.
  • Alexus “Kimmy” Braxton, 45, found murdered in her apartment in Miami on Feb. 4.
  • Chynaa Carrillo, 24, beaten to death Feb. 18 at a house in New Wilmington, Penn. Her killer, Juan Carter Hernandez, who had spent time in prison for murdering his wife in July 2011, was killed at the scene by police.
  • Trans teen Jeffrey “JJ” Bright, 16, shot to death, along with his non-binary sibling Jasmine Cannady, on Feb. 22 in Ambridge, Penn., by their mother, Krisinda Ann Bright.
  • Jasmine Cannady, 22, shot to death, along with their trans bother JJ Bright, on Feb. 22 in Ambridge, Penn., by their mother, Krisinda Ann Bright.
  • Jenna Franks, 34, found dead Feb. 24 in Jacksonville, N.C. Police have classified her death as a homicide but have continued to dead-name her.
  • Diamond Nicole ‘Kyree’ Sanders, 23, was shot to death during a robbery March 3 in Cincinnati.
  • Rayanna Pardo, 26, was struck by a car and killed as she ran from a group of individuals who had been harassing and threatening her March 17 in Los Angeles. Her death was initially labeled as undetermined but has since been changed to homicide.
  • Aidelen Evans, 24, was found dead in a canal in Port Arthur, Texas, on March 18. Her cause of death was initially listed as undetermined but has since been changed to homicide.
  • Jaida Peterson, 29, was found shot to death April 4 in a hotel room in Charlotte, N.C. Dontarius Long and Joel Brewer have been arrested and charged in connection with her death and the death 11 days later of Remy Fennell.
  • Dominique Lucious, 26, was shot to death April 8 in Springfield, Mo. Charles Nelson, 28, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with her death.
  • Remy Fennell, 28, was found shot to death April 15 in Charlotte, N.C. Dontarius Long and Joel Brewer have been arrested and charged in connection with her death and the death 11 days earlier of Jaida Peterson.
  • Tiara Banks, 26, was shot to death April 21 while sitting alone in her car in Chicago.
  • Natalia Smüt Lopez, 24, was stabbed to death April 23 in an apartment in San Jose, Calif. Elijah Cruz Segura, 22, whom she had been dating, has been arrested and charged in connection with her murder.
  • Tiffany Thomas, 38, was found shot to death April 21 at a car wash in Dallas.
  • Iris Santos, 22, was shot to death April 23 while sitting at a picnic table outside a fast-food restaurant on Westheimer in Houston.

— Tammye Nash