Vanity Williams, a trans, 34-year-old Air Force veteran and nursing student, was shot and killed in Houston, Texas. She is the third trans woman murdered in Texas this year alone, following the tragic murders of Dylan Gurley in July and Diamond Brigman in March.
Vanity Williams, who also went by Chanel on her socials, was found dead in the lobby of her apartment building just after 11 p.m. on August 2. She had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. One of Williams’ close friends, Johnáe Wright (who is also a community advisor for the Human Rights Campaign) says of her, “Words can’t explain the pain that cuts deep into my soul (…) I will always hold a special place in my heart for you and continue to fight for you and our community.” Wright has also organized a GoFundMe to cover funeral and memorial costs for Williams.
There has been an arrest made in connection with her murder. Tristian Sanders, 26, was arrested in Louisiana after fleeing and staying in several locations following Williams’ death. Authorities are unsure of their exact connection, but friends of Williams say that the two did know each other. He is currently awaiting extradition to Texas for subsequent trial.
Vanity Williams is remembered as someone who made a “safe space’ for everybody” and had a “resilient soul, brilliant mind, and a beautiful spirit.” She had just started nursing school with the end goal of opening up her own med spa. She loved nail art, makeup and fashion, and is quoted as saying, “I do not fear death! I fear injustice!” Tori Cooper, the director of community engagement for the Human Rights Campaign’s Transgender Justice Initiative, says, “Vanity spent her life serving her country and community, and she should still be here today, continuing to pursue her own dreams. Instead, in another senseless death, she was let down by the same forces that continue to plague our community—transphobia, misogynoir, and gun violence.”
Photo courtesy of social media
