CHARLOTTE – Police in Charlotte-Mecklenburg are calling on the community to be vigilant after two similar murders in which transgender sex workers were only 11 days apart.
CMPD detectives said Thursday the two recent murders of transgender women took place in hotel rooms. They said the killings were similar but were not yet sure if they were connected.
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Police said 29-year-old Jaida Peterson died on Easter Sunday. She was shot dead at the Quality Inn Hotel in Queen City Drive, west of Charlotte.
Detectives said another transgender woman, who was also a sex worker, was shot dead Thursday morning at the Sleep Inn in North Tryon Street near East WT Harris Boulevard. Her name has not yet been released.
Police said it was too early to say whether the cases were related, but because of the similarities, they were concerned that someone might focus on transgender women.
CMPD is appealing to members of the LGBTQ community who are “doing sex work” to be extremely careful and to call 911 to report anything suspicious.
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“This is a very critical time right now,” said CMPD spokesman Rob Tufano. “There is probably, probably, never a more vulnerable time for them than tonight – until this person, all the people who are responsible for these matters, are apprehended.”
Channel 9 spoke to a friend of Peterson’s on Thursday.
“Jaida treated everyone with kindness and respect,” Peacock said.
Violence against transgender women is common, which Peacock is familiar with.
“Jaida was afraid of society and what society could do, but one thing about Jaida is: Jaida trusts the Lord in everything she does,” Peacock said.
Matt Comer with Charlotte Pride said the response from organizations and leaders was immediate, with outreach efforts to ensure people are protected.
“Stay alert,” Comer said. “Come in with your friends, your family.”
No suspects were identified.
“We are looking at whether something can be linked to these issues,” Tufano said. “If there might be something bigger here.”