Ebony Whitaker
Ebony Whitaker, a 20-year-old African American transgender woman was murdered by an unknown assailant in Memphis, TN, and was found dead on July 1, 2008.
The Background
Ebony Whitaker
Born Rodney, Whitaker's family suspected that she was gay, but were not aware that she was transgender.1)
Detectives said Whitaker was last seen walking in the area of Lamar and Old Getwell in Memphis, around 4:00 a.m. on July 1.2) Whitaker's friends said she earned money doing sex-work.3), since the age of 16. 4)She had at least one arrest for prostitution on record.5)
The Murder
Ebony Whitaker Murdered
Whitaker's body was found by a daycare worker, just after 7:15 a.m. on July 1, 2008 near a daycare center, an abandoned apartment complext, and a strip club. Whitaker was found wearing women's clothing, in the 3200 block of Whitebrook Plaza in southeast Memphis.
Detectives were back in the are several hours later, questioning people at the nearby strip club and clearing the area.6) Neighborhood resident Eugene Royal claimed to have heard a gunshot early in the morning. People who worked nearby said that the area was a common spot for sex-workers.7)
Members of Whitaker's family said they suspected Whitaker was killed by a customer who became angry and violent upon learning that she was transgender.8)
The Aftermath
In the aftermath of Whitaker's death, on the heels of the videotaped police beating of transgender woman Duanna Johnson, and the murder of Tiffany Berry, attended the Memphis City Council meeting to show concern for the recent string of crimes against transgender women in the Memphis area, and to demand action.
As of July 4, 2008, police had no one in custody for Whitaker's murder. Whitaker's funeral was held on July 7, 2008.9)
Following Whitaker's murder, a judge ordered four motels in the area where her body was discovered closed following an undercover police investigation. Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin made the announcement, calling the area “the most active prostitution location in the city.” Godwin said police had been called to the four hotels hundreds of times, and said that Whitaker's murder was related to the sex trade around the hotels.10)
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