Houston police are investigating the death of a transgender woman whose body was discovered Monday morning near Brays Bayou in southwest Houston, raising concerns within a community already familiar with violence targeting transgender people in the region.
According to the Houston Police Department, a jogger found the victim’s body around 8:15 a.m. Monday near Club Creek Basin Park, close to the entrance of the Westwood Golf Club off Beechnut Street. Officers responding to the scene confirmed the victim was already deceased when they arrived.
Authorities described the victim as a white or Hispanic transgender woman believed to be in her 20s. As of Monday evening, officials had not publicly released her identity pending notification of family members. Investigators also said no arrests have been made.
Police reported that the victim’s body was found naked, and detectives believe someone may have removed her clothing in an attempt to limit trace evidence available to investigators. No weapon was recovered at the scene, and authorities said the exact cause of death remains unknown while the Harris County medical examiner continues its investigation.
The area where the body was discovered sits less than a mile from the Bissonnet Track, also known locally as the Bissonnet Blade, a corridor long associated with street-based sex work. Investigators said they are examining whether the death may have any connection to prostitution activity in the area, though no official determination has been made.
Detectives spent much of Memorial Day canvassing nearby streets and businesses for surveillance footage while also searching for witnesses who may have seen suspicious activity overnight or early Monday morning.
The case has already drawn attention from LGBTQ+ advocates in Houston, where transgender women, particularly transgender women of color, have historically faced elevated levels of violence and homicide. Houston has experienced multiple high-profile cases involving attacks against transgender residents over the years, prompting ongoing calls for improved protections and more serious attention to anti-trans violence.
The investigation also comes roughly two years after the fatal shooting of transgender woman Diamond Brigman in the same general area of southwest Houston. In that case, authorities arrested Walter Daniel Saravia Palacios, who was later convicted of murder and sentenced earlier this year to 36 years in prison.
Anyone with information related to the case is being urged to contact the Houston Police Department or Crime Stoppers of Houston.
