Paloma
The transgender woman found murdered at her Houston apartment on Saturday, Feb. 26, as been identified by a friend as Paloma, a member of the Houston-based trans rights group Organizacíon Latina de Trans en Texas, according to OutSmart magazine. OLTT will hold a #JusticeForPaloma rally today (Thursday, March 4) at 4 p.m. at Houston City Hall.
Paloma was found shot to death Saturday evening at her apartment by her boyfriend, who arrived about 8 p.m. The door to her apartment was unlocked, and police said they found no sign of forced entry. Police said they believe she was killed sometime Saturday morning.
Houston police told OutSmart they are investigating the murder but have no motive or suspects at this time. Anyone with information is asked to HPD’s homicide division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Paloma is at least the fifth transgender woman to die by violence in 2022, according to the Human Rights Campaign, which maintains a list at its website. All have been women of color. She is the second victim in Texas this year.
Cypress Ramos, 21, was found Feb. 12 at a storage unit facility in Lubbock. She had been beaten to death. Security camera footage showed a man named Allen Montemayor going into the facility with another person and then coming out alone that same day. He was arrested and charged with murder after police found him that same day and saw that he had blood on his legs.
Other trans people murdered this year are Amariey Lej, also known as Myara, 20, who was found dead on a Pittsburgh street early on New Year’s Day; Duval Princess, 24, who was shot to death on Jan. 3 in Jacksonville, Fla., and Naomie Skinner, 25, who was shot to death by her boyfriend on Feb. 12 in Highland Park, Mich.
— Tammye Nash
