Trans Woman Found Murdered With Plastic Bag Around Her Head
A transgender woman was found dead from a gunshot wound to the chest on Saturday, marking the 23rd trans person to be reported murdered in the United States this year.
Brandi Bledsoe's body was discovered in a driveway with plastic bags over both her head and hands last weekend, and was first found by a young boy riding his bike through the neighborhood.
Family members came forward to clarify that she was a trans woman after reports initially misgendered her, noting that the 32-year-old was so much happier after coming out as her authentic self two years earlier.
"She wasn't very outgoing before she told us," her cousin, John Craggett, said to The Plain Dealer. "She just wasn't happy with who she was. When she told us, she was honestly a lot better as Brandi. She was happy."
Although the homicide ruling officially makes 2016 a record-high for transgender murders, the actual number is probably much higher, as many murders either aren't reported or the victim is misgendered.
