THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — A suspect has been arrested following the beating death of a trans woman earlier this week in Baldwin Park, just east of Los Angeles. Friends and social media contacts have confirmed the identity of the woman as Melony Smith.
The suspect, Stephen Gonzales, is being held by the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department on drug charges and is expected to be charged with the murder shortly.
An autopsy revealed Smith was beaten to death. The police asked that anyone with information call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
Sources: Social media and [Trigger Warning] http://www.sgvtribune.com/general-news/20130912/suspect-identified-in-baldwin-park-motel-slaying
Tip of the hat to Gina Bigham
———–
A Trans woman in Baton Rouge, Louisiana was found beaten to death in an abandoned house. News reports say Shaun Hartley was a witness to a murder by former roommate and she previously told authorities she feared for her life.
Newspaper reports indicated she regularly presented as female. I’ve been unable to confirm if she used a different name. The same reports suggested that she was mentally challenged.
There are no further details.
Source: The Seattle PI
———-
DO YOU WANT TO HELP LEXIE WITH TRANS ADVOCACY? Get the award-winning trans-themed feature film Lexie Cannes and help cover our expenses: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0963781332 Or via PayPal: http://www.lexiecannes.com/id13.html
THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT is associated with Wipe Out Transphobia: http://www.wipeouttransphobia.com/
Read Lexie Cannes in The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/courtney-odonnell/
Categories: Deaths, Murder, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans
LEXIE CANNES STATE OF TRANS 
I lay these deaths at the feet of the Christian church, who scorn and condemn transgender people as being perverts. I know that they actually didn’t kill them, but their actions lead others to think ill of trans-folk, enough to want to kill them because of who they are.
Although many “christians” can be hateful bigots, many Christians are quite the opposite of the Westborough Baptist type and actually DO love people unconditionally.
Anyway, I lay much more of the blame towards a society that polarizes gender roles and stereotypes, is inherently chauvinistic (or Machismo). This is the basic mentality of nearly every society on earth. In Matriarchal societies, or societies with the most equality, transgender people are very much accepted or even celebrated.
[ad hominem comment deleted by moderator]
I was a bit surprised when I went and read the link to the actual press article. No where does it mention the victim was trans but only that a man was found dead and list the deceased by another name rather that the one here.
I would also like to say that as one who has little use for organized religion for it’s intolerance I recently discovered something I have always wanted to hear. We hear almost daily the hate and intolerant words from the leaders of many of the leaders of organized religions as well as the evangelicals and leaders of the so called faith based family “values” groups but from the very members of their congregations very little. Then only in the last week or so a web site has come online. It is the Not All Like That Christian Project http://notalllikethat.org/ . Visiting that site I finally am hearing from those out there in the congregations speaking openly and freely that truly not all Christians are or believe what we hear almost daily from their leaders and not all organized Churches are condemning of those withing the LGBTQ but rather open, accepting and welcoming.
I am still a ways off of returning but visiting that site and listening to the many videos posted made that almost extinguished spark within me and what today I call my spirit is now glowing a bit brighter. Please anyone who has as I have been hurt by the intolerance of religion visit this site and listen to these Christians speak for truly this is what true Christianity is about.
I held off reporting on this until there I could confirm this with other sources shat the victim was indeed transgender. I’m sure more than a few trans death go completely unrecorded here in the United States due to mainstream media’s inaccuracies in their reporting.
I understand completely. I was more commenting about just what you said, many trans deaths are never recorded much less reported because of miss representation by both the authorities as well as the media.
Melony Smith was a friend of mind it was so shocking to hear about her death… But the TG community here in Los Angeles came together to raise $3000 in donations for Melony Smith’s funeral expensive with the help of TG clubs like Cobra T-girl Thursday Shine at the Oxwood Inn and T-girl night at Hamburger Marry’s… I’m so happy to see our community all come together and united as one, as a family.
Thanks for the comments everyone!
More on Hartley’s death:
http://theadvocate.com/home/7217871-125/da-witness-protection-in-ebr
Yes! Finally something about discrimination lawyers
in los angeles.