Muhlaysia Booker

Muhlaysia Booker was a twenty-two year old African American transgender woman who was assaulted and then murdered a month later in Dallas, Texas. The assault on her was captured in a video that was widely shared, sparking national attention. Attack: On April 12, 2019 Muhlaysia Booker took her cousin to see a fight in Royal Crest Apartments. Leaving the apartments Booker backed into a friend of the drivers car and tried to flee the scene. The driver got out of his car and held Booker at gunpoint until she paid for the damages. A crowd soon gathered around the altercation and Thomas was offered $200 to assault Booker. Bystanders watched, videotaped, and yelled transphobic slurs while Booker was attacked. As she tried to escape, more men jumped in stomping and kicking her in the head. The video was uploaded to social media and went viral. She suffered from a concussion, fractured wrist and other injuries as well. The Dallas and LGBT black community was outraged and labeled the attack as “mob violence”. On April 14, 2019, Thomas Edwards was charged with aggravated assault; others involved in the attack haven't been identified. After her attack, supporters held a rally in support of Booker. She stood before the crowd and spoke out at a rally about her assault and hate crimes against the transgender community. Booker stated, "This time it was me, the next time it could be someone else close to you." Booker' s cousin Quanjasmine Baccus also spoke out at the rally saying, "Everywhere we go she was picked — she was picked on because she is transgender." Murder: On the radio show interview they mentioned Booker was involved in escorting services. On Saturday May 18, 2019 Muhlaysia Booker was seen getting into Kendrell Lyles light colored Lincoln. At 6:44a.m officers responded to a shooting call near Tenison Park Golf Course where Booker was found dead on arrival from a gun shot wound. Booker's body wasn't identified until Sunday due to her not having any identification on her at the time of her death. Arrests- Edward Thomas- 29: Edward Thomas, a 29-year old male, was arrested on April 14, 2019 in connection to Booker's attack. The police stated that Thomas was wearing an ankle monitor that placed him at the Royal Crest Apartments, where the attack on Booker took place. Thomas was charged with aggravated assault and held without bond in Dallas County jail. He was eventually bonded out and went back to jail on Monday May 20th. His bond wasn't set until his court hearing where they set his bond at 75,000 dollars. Kendrell Lyles- 34: Kendrell Lyles is a suspect in 3 murders and a person of interest in a killing of another transgender women. A witness provided testimony, stating that Lyles committed the murder and providing information that the police stated only Lyle would know. They discovered phone records between Booker and Lyles that placed him in the area where Booker was murdered and Lyle's light colored Lincoln also matched a description of the car seen picking up Booker. Kendrell was arrested June 5 for three counts of homicide.