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Slain Black Trans Woman
Identifi ed in Houston
Activists helped determine victim’s name
Tracy Single, the latest black trans woman to be murdered this year, was fi nally identifi ed more than
two weeks after she was found dead in Houston.
BY MATT TRACY
Yet another black transgender
woman has been
murdered — this time
in Houston — but it took
more than two weeks and an entire
community of activists to identify
her.
Tracy Single, 22, was found dead
on the ground July 30 with puncture
wounds and severe lacerations
at a gas station at 11009 Katy
Freeway Service Road on West Interstate
Highway 10 in Houston.
An autopsy confi rmed that Single’s
cause of death was a homicide,
but there are no known suspects
or motives at this time, according
to a Houston police spokesperson.
The Houston Police Department
fi nally identifi ed Single on August
15, but that was only made possible
thanks to the work of an activist
who was dedicated to fi nding
justice for the late 22-year-old.
Dee Dee Watters, who was a
grand marshal at Houston Pride in
June, organized a town hall-style
event and vigil in Houston on August
11 with hopes of determining
more information about Single.
She invited activists and other local
community members to the
event and provided a physical description
of Single as she remained
unidentifi ed.
FACEBOOK/ TRACY SINGLE
Now, with Single’s identity confi
rmed, Watters has been raising
money and coordinating funeral
arrangements with her family. According
to Watters’ Facebook post
on August 19, Single’s family “has
agreed to honor Tracy’s wishes to
be remembered as Tracy” and the
funeral home has referred to her
with proper pronouns.
Single appeared to be just settling
into her new home. According
to her Facebook page, she was
from New Orleans and moved to
Houston June 17.
Single became the latest black
trans woman to be murdered during
what has been an especially
deadly year for transgender women
of color. More than a dozen trans
women — mostly black women —
have suffered violent deaths this
year alone, and many have been
found dead on roads or in vehicles.
Single is not the fi rst black trans
woman to be murdered in Texas
this year.
Chynal Lindsey, 26, was found
dead in a Dallas lake in June in a
case that police there described as
“homicidal violence,” and 23-yearold
Muhlaysia Booker was shot to
death in Dallas on May 18.
Further details about funeral
services are pending, according to
Watters.
August 29 - September 11, 18 2019 | GayCityNews.com
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