This is a summary of all murders of trans people in the UK between 2008 and Nov 2017. in reverse chronalogical order (Also by Karen Ingala Smith):
UK homicides of transgender individuals 2008-2017
Total = 7 (all biological males)
2017: 0 (as of November 2017 when Karen wrote this)
2016: 1
William Lound, a gay man who sometimes wore stereotypically female clothing, was killed by Lee Arnold, a homeless man with untreated paranoid schizophrenia and problems with substance misuse, in what media reports described as a “homophobic and transphobic murder”. Arnold pleaded guilty to killing Lound and was jailed for life in 2016. This homicide is not listed in the latest TMM report, although Lound would be considered trans under the transgender umbrella definition.
2015: 1
Vanessa Santillan was killed by partner Joaquin Gomez Hernandez who lived off Santillan’s earnings from selling sex. He denied murder and tried to blame one of Santillan’s clients. He was jailed for life.
2014: 0
2013: 0
2012: 1
Chrissie Azzopardi was killed by drug dealer Romy Maynard possibly related to money the victim owed him. Maynard was jailed for life.
2011: 1
Lionel/Susie Morl was killed by two acquaintances with substance-misuse issues who stole the victim’s disability benefits & savings. David Hardman admitted killing Morl, and both he and his accomplice Tracy Horrell were jailed for life in 2012.
2010: 1
David/Sonia Burgess sometimes wore stereotypically female clothing and presented as a woman, and was killed by Senthooran Kanagasingham, a transgender woman. Kanagasingham, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and jailed for life in 2011.
2009: 2
Andrea Waddell was murdered by punter Neil McMillan. He was jailed for life in 2010 and subsequently jailed indefinitely after also being convicted of raping a woman a year earlier.
Destiny Lauren was murdered by punter Leon Fyle. He was jailed for life in 2010.
2008: 0
The deaths of two UK trans individuals included in the 2017 TMM report but excluded from the above list (as they are not homicides) are:
Vikki Thompson (2015) was presumably included in the TMM total after being listed in this 2016 TMM report but cannot be described as a homicide as Thompson died by suicide. As there are 2 deaths listed for 2015, we must conclude that Thompson’s death is still erroneously being included along with Vanessa Santillan’s for that year.
Jacqueline Cowdry (2013) listed in this 2014 TMM report should also not be included as a homicide as (following police investigation/post-mortem) Cowdry’s death was ruled as non-suspicious. However, as no other media reports of a trans homicide can be located for 2013, the inclusion of a homicide for that year indicates Cowdry’s death is still being erroneously included.
There are several commonalities between the circumstances of these homicides which sadly reveal the victims’ proximity to male violence and a complex interplay of factors contributing to marginalisation by society, including mental ill-health, substance misuse and poverty. These commonalities include:
Vanessa Santillan, Andrea Waddell and Destiny Lauren all sold sex which brought them into contact with the violent men who killed them. A 2012 report into violence in the sex trade in London revealed that ‘active sex workers were almost 18 times more likely to be murdered than women of similar age and race’
Chrissie Azzopardi, Lionel/Suzie Morl and William Lound were killed by a drug dealer and drug users. The Homicide Index reveals around a fifth (22%) of homicide victims were known to be drug users and around 1 in 7 (15%) of perpetrators were known to be drug dealers
William Lound and David/Sonia Burgess were both killed by perpetrators who were seriously ill with untreated paranoid schizophrenia, which unfortunately increases an individual’s risk of violence compared with other members of the general population
The majority of the victims also belonged to demographic groups known to be at increased risk of violence and hate-crime e.g. Lionel/Suzie Morl and Andrea Waddell were both living with disabilities, William Lound was gay and Destiny Lauren, David/Sonia Burgess and Vanessa Santillan were all trans people of colour.
In common with the vast majority of homicides recorded by the TMM project worldwide, the victims were all males who identified as trans women (or males who sometimes cross-dressed) and were killed by men. If we want to understand why – and therefore hopefully prevent – trans people being killed, we need to look at these commonalities and devise support strategies that address the very real problems these individuals faced.