Murder of Wilson Edison Black Elk, Jr. and Ronald Owen Hard Heart

Ronald Hard Heart and Wilson Black Elk Jr

On June 6, 1999, cousins Wilson "Wally" Black Elk, Jr. and Ronald Hard Heart were last seen on the main road to Pine Ridge, South Dakota from White Clay, Nebraska. The two were residents of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and had likely gone to White Clay (2 miles) to get alcohol. 

On June 8, 1999, their bodies were found at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in a culvert several hundred yards north of the Nebraska-South Dakota. It's believed that the two may have been killed in Nebraska and their bodies dumped where they were found. 

Many of the community believe that the two were victims of a hate crime for being Native American. It was not unheard of for hate crimes in the area. It was suspected that the Klan or members of it might have had something to do with the murders. 

In one article Wilson's niece stated that in the weeks leading up to his death, he was threatened by a bar owner over his $90 bar tab. He was even pulled from his vehicle by them. Wilson was scared cause he stated that the bar owner threatened to have the sheriff and his boys handle it if it wasn't paid. However, the FBI has stated that there was no evidence that the Sheriff and deputies were involved.

SOURCES:
FBI

Argus-Leader June 13, 1999

Star-Herald June 22, 1999

Omaha World-Herald June 23, 1999

Argus-Leader June 23, 1999

Argus-Leader June 27, 1999

Hate Crime: April 13, 2023 Louis, Missouri Hate Crime on Transgender Person

Around 3:30 p.m. on April 13, 2023, an unknown man would get on the MetroBus at Chippewa Street and Grand Boulevard in the northern edge of the Dutchtown neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri. He would take a seat in the back of the bus. There were already a few people on the bus including a transgender person (gender unstated). This person was sitting closest to him and he spoke to them. Minutes later the man would get up from his seat and start attacking the victim. He would kick and punch the victim almost two dozen times and then pointed a gun at the victim.

It's believed that this was a hate crime against a transgender person. 

The suspect is a black male with an average build. He has facial hair a long scar on his right forearm. He was wearing a neon yellow t-shirt with a dark-colored emblem on his left chest pocket (possibly a Wrangler shirt), khaki pants, dark sunglasses, a black beanie with a dark emblem on the left side, blue boxers, and black shoes with white soles. He was carrying a dark-colored cross-body bag with frayed edges. 

SOURCES:

FBI Most Wanted

Murder of Jenna Franks

On February 24, 2021 city street crews found the body of 34-year-old Jenna Franks by a bike trail near Ellis Blvd in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She had multiple stab wounds in both her neck and leg. At the time of death, she had both Meth and Alcohol in her system.

Jenna was a trans woman and it is possible that her murder was a hate crime. Her killer or killers are believed to have been familiar with the area where her body was found.

SOURCES:
FBI
WTCI 12 June 2, 2021
WTIN Feb 24, 2023
The Daily News Feb 27, 2023

Murder of Dianne Aubert and Attempted Murder of Mayline Grenier

In the early morning of February 16, 1982,  roommates 23-year-old Dianne Aubert and 42-year-old of Mayline Grenier, both trans women, were in their apartment in Québec City, Québec, Canada. Two men would make it into their apartment and stab the two. Dianne would be stabbed 121 times and Mayline would be stabbed 30 times. Both were stabbed in their backs. The attackers would use 5 knives on the two. They would then rob the place of valuables such as furs and jewelry. 

Around 1:21 a.m. police were called to the apartment due to the sound of moaning. Dianne was found naked on her bed and she had died. Maryline who was also on a bed (not stated if it was the same bed) was partially dressed and was still alive.

The killers were men around 25 years old and had long hair. Both were around 5'10" and 150 lbs. 

The motive for the crime is unknown. Both roommates were transgender and it's possible that it was a hate crime. It could have been a robbery gone wrong or maybe the robbery was a second thought. It's unknown. 

SOURCES:

Remembering Our Dead

Trans G Riot

Wikipedia
UPI Feb. 19, 1982

The Gazette Feb. 19, 1982

Murder of Nikki Nicholas

On February 15, 2003, 19-year-old Nikki Nicholas, a trans woman, was in the South Lyon and Whitmore area in Michigan. She was picked up by one or two men in Detroit and was supposed to be going to a party between Detroit and Ann Harbor. This was the last time she was seen alive.

On the 21st Nikki would be found in a farmhouse between M-36 and Spicer Rd in Brighton. She had been shot in the head and killed at the top of some stairs. It's believed that this may have been a hate crime.

Nikki was a transwoman and had been living as so for the last two years. At the time she was working as a female impersonator at bars. Her dead name was Anthony. It was a hate crime and her killer or killers knew her dead name they may use that instead of Nikki if they talk about her. 

SOURCES:

Uncovered

Livingston Daily Press and Argus Feb. 26, 2003

Detroit Free Press Feb. 28, 2003

Detroit Free Press August 7, 2003

Livingston Daily Press and Argus Jan 1,2004

Click on Detroit
WHMI Feb. 21, 2018

October 26, 2021 Washington, D.C. Hate Crime

Around 4 p.m. on October 26, 2021, an assault would happen on a Blue Line Metro train in the vicinity of Benning Road Metro Station in Washinton, D.C. The suspect would hit the victim multiple times in the head. It's not stated why, but this is being investigated as a hate crime or what type of hate crime it was.

SOURCES:

FBI

Anti-Semitic Vandalism of Huntsville, Alabama Synagogues

In the early hours of April 9, 2020, the Etz Chayim Synagogue at 7705 Bailey Cove Rd in Huntsville, Alabama was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti. The next day the Chabad of Huntsville located on 1
908 Parkhill Rd was hit with similar graffiti. Due to surveillance cameras, it was found that both were perpetrated by the same person.

The person walked with a pronounced and distinct limp and appeared to have had a prosthetic left leg. The vehicle that the suspect may have been driving was an early model Toyota Prius light in color. Prior to the vandalism on April 4th the same person was seen walking on residential streets near the Chabad of Huntsville in the Blossomwood neighborhood.

Damage exceeding $5,000 to a religious property is a felony offense


SOURCES:
FBI

El Monte Church Bombing

At approximately 1 a.m. on January 23, 2021, a male and female were seen smashing a window of the First Works Baptist Church at 2600 Tyler Ave. in El Monte, California. The two then lit an object and threw it into the church. The object shortly after exploded and the two fled the scene to a vehicle that they arrived in. The witness would call the police. 

The male suspect is Hispanic between 5'8" and 6'1" and around 170 to 180 lbs. The female suspect is 5'3" to 5'5" and around 125 to 135 lbs. Both were wearing blue jeans, black hoodies, and face masks. 

SOURCES:

FBI

Hate Crimes: Metropolitan Community College Assualt

At 3:15 p.m. on April 3, 2018, at the Metropolitan Community College at the Penn Valley Campus in Kansas City, Missouri a female Muslim Student was assaulted. After a class, the female student was walking down the stairs at the Humanities Building Stairwell. An Unknown male suspect made a derogatory statement to her. When she turned to look she was struck in the face and fell down the stairs. She reported to the campus police and got medical care. The incident happened on a day that was part of an international campaign to scare and encourage violence against Muslims.

FBI has up to a $10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in this crime.

SOURCES:

FBI

41 KHSB May  2, 2018

Murder of Loni Kai

By 2001 28-year-old trans woman Loni Kai lived most of her life as a woman. On August 26, 2001 around 2 a.m. Loni was seen talking to a woman at the 7-Eleven near Southwest TV Highway and Cornelius Pass Road in Washington County, Oregon. She was then seen around 3:30 a.m. where a Beverton police officer asked her if she needed help while she was hitchhiking along the highway near Southwest Murray Blvd. She declined and this was the last time anyone saw her alive.

At 8 a.m. a jogger found Loni's body in a field Southwest Farmington Road, which is not far from Southwest Rood Bridge Road. Loni was severely beaten and had severe blunt trauma to her head likely caused from a metal object. It's believed that she was killed elsewhere and her body was left at the field. 

It's possible that the murderer picked her up when she was hitchhiking and found out she was transgender and killed her. 

SOURCES:

Washington County

Fox 12 Oregon October 11, 2018

Oregon Live March 26, 2019

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May 4, 2017 Cincinnati Hate Crime

  

On the morning of May 4, 2017, a maroon and tan 2006 Ford Explorer was parked in an apartment building parking lot located on Gracely Drive in the Sayler Park neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. Around 4:20 a.m. the vehicle was badly damaged and vandalized.

A person wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt, and jeans or dark sweatpants are seen doing this. They would break several windows, slash tires, and scratch and spray paint racist ideology on it. Swastikas were scratched into the paint and the words including “Go home,” “Musslim [sic] terrorist,” “Trump America,” and other phrases and symbols. The vehicle belonged to a person of Middle Eastern descent at the time.

A reward up to $3,000 is offered to tips that lead to the arrest and conviction in this case.

SOURCES:

FBI

Murder of Trans Woman Tyra Henderson

In 2000 22-year-old Tyra Henderson was living on the 1700 Block of T St. in southeast Washington D.C. She was a trans woman and at the time she was working as a sex worker as a means of survival.

On April 23, 2000, around 2 a.m. someone called 911 to say that there was moaning coming from the rear of the 3600 block of 11th st, NW. A 6:26 a.m. Tyra's body was discovered. She had been beaten to death. It's unknown if Tyra's sex work had to do with her death.

A complaint was filed against the police for the response time for Tyra's scene. The complainant sought help from the ACLU of National Capital Area as of Jan. 17, 2018 it is listed as being under  review of police.

SOURCES:

Metropolitan Police Department

Metropolitain Police Department (PDF)

Trans True Crime 

Metro Weekly

Murder of Henry Edward "Ed" Northington

On March 1, 1999, 3 young adults found the head of 39-year-old Henry "Ed" Northington on the walkway on the south end of the bridge on the 1900 block of Texas Ave. in Richmond, Virginia. The head was sitting in an upright position and was obviously placed there by somebody. 

Several hundred yards away Ed's body was found at "the tubes" a homeless site upriver from Hollywood Cemetery anchored by twin drainage tunnels. Homeless people would use these tunnels as sleeping shelters. Apparently, this is the area Henry had been staying in. His clothes were thrown into the James River. It's also covered in heavy stones and boulders one of them could have been the murder weapon. Ed at the time was also gay. The place where his head was found was a cruising spot for gays at the time and police suspected it possibly been a hate crime. 

He was killed by acute crush injury to his chest and abdomen breaking several ribs. His ribs had lacerated his lungs, diaphragm, and spleen killing him. His killer or killers then decapitated him with a knife between the 3rd or 4th cervical vertebrae.

At the time Henry was suffering from alcoholism and depression and HIV. His alcoholism caused him to isolate himself from friends and family. Some of his family didn't entirely accept him when he came out as gay and this caused him to search for acceptance. He was also not well-liked in the gay community as he was seen as pushy and had frequently been kicked out of gay bars. 

SOURCES:

Richmond Virginia

Find a Grave

WTVR

Murder of Anthony Adams

On November 6, 1978 friends of 25-year-old Anthony, Tony, Adams were worried about him. They hadn't seen or heard from him in a few days. Rev. Bob Waldrop, Bill Woodbury (Tony's boyfriend) and another friend went to his apartment at 125 1st Avenue in Salt Lake City, Utah. When they didn't get an answer Bill crawled through a window to find his boyfriend had been murdered. Tony's body was found in his bedroom he had been nude and covered in blood. He had been stabbed in his neck, chest, and his throat sliced with a butcher knife. He had been dead for several days and more than likely died on November 3rd.

Tony Adams was an African American activist who fought for Gay Rights. He even had a hand in organizing the Anita Bryant Protest in 1977. Anita Bryant was a singer and former beauty queen who was against gay rights. The Anita Bryant Protest was a big step in Gay Rights in Utah. Tony wanted to see the world changed for the better and have it be more aware. He was even called a "True Freedom Fighter," by Rev. Bob Waldrop.

The Salt Lake police were already investigating another cold case in the area. Coincidentally another murder of 16 year old Sharon Schollmeyers happened in the same apartment building. It isn't believed that the two were murdered by the same person.

It is believed that Tony Adam's murder might be one of many hate crimes that were happening in the area against homosexuals. It could also have been because Tony was a campaign manager for Bill Hoyle in the Nov. 7 election, so it could have been politically motivated.

Other Images:

SOURCES:
https://qsaltlake.com/news/2009/11/07/the-murder-of-tony-adams/
http://www.slcpd.com/1978/11/06/anthony-adams/
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=118356459
http://www.slcpd.com/1977/12/05/sharon-schollmeyers/

Disappearance of Joseph Edwards

Joseph Edwards or also known as JoeEd and Joe worked at the Shamrock Motel in Vidalia, Louisiana as a porter and handyman. He was known as a snappy dresser and a ladies man. On July 12 1964 this was the last place he was seen. His two toned blue and beige 1858 Buick was found a few days later behind an old bowling alley on Farriday-Vidalia Highway.

What was found inside the car was brutal and pointed towards Edwards being in danger. There was blood stains in the inside of the vehicle. A neck tie in the shape of a noose was on the steering wheel. There was also a belt that wasn’t Edwards in the car.

Edwards mother claimed that the Klan had something to do with it. All evidence found seemed to point to the KKK. In the 1960’s the KKK was was responsible for violence against many African Americans this included murder. The Shamrock Hotel where Edwards worked was one of their hang outs. This could be the reason that Edwards got onto their radar. Edwards was also allegedly dating white women at the time.

Rumors flew around about Edwards fate, none of them leading to Edwards being alive. One rumor was that the Klan had shot Edwards, covered his body in concrete and then threw it in the Mississippi River. An informant told the FBI that Klansmen had skinned Edwards alive. None of these have been confirmed, but it can be believed that he was killed.

In 2002 the skull of an African American Male or Native American Male was found in Clayton Louisiana. It had a small hole in the forehead and was missing his jaw. Authorities believe that the skull might be Edwards, but it will take DNA to verify this.

Joseph Edwards was 25 at the time of his disappearance. There is no listed height or weight for him, but he might have burn scars on his body. The burn scars came from an accident had that left him with third degree burns and he was scaled as a child

SOURCES:

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/e/edwards_joseph.html

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3944dmla.html

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/4093/178/