Trans Woman Murdered in Houston

A transgender woman was murdered in West Houston on February 26, according to the Houston Police Department (HPD). 

The victim’s body was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside of her apartment at 6600 Dunlap Street. There were no signs of forced entry, and HPD believes the woman was shot earlier that day. 

Ana Andrea Molina, founder of Organización Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT), identified the victim as a woman named Paloma. 

“They are killing us,” Molina wrote on Facebook. “Today was Paloma, maybe tomorrow it will be me.”

Paloma was a member of OLTT, a Houston-based group dedicated to protecting and securing human rights for trans Texans. The organization will host a #Justice4Paloma rally at Houston City Hall today, March 3, at 6 p.m. 

At least five trans or gender-nonconforming people have been murdered in the United States in 2022, according to the Human Rights Campaign. All of the victims, including Paloma, have been trans women of color. Two of these murders have occurred in Texas.

HPD says it is investigating the murder, but at this time they have no known motive or suspects. 

Anyone with information on Paloma’s murder should call HPD’s homicide division at 713-308-3600, or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

This is a developing story that will be updated as additional information becomes available.