Remembering Our Dead

Stella Essie

Stella was hit around the head with a sledgehammer by Loveless Austin, 22.

She had just begun a relationship with him but when he discovered that she was trans he left her. He returned the following day with a sledgehammer and knife to kill her. He also stole various household items, which he took to a pawnbroker.

Austin was convicted of her murder and sentenced to 40 years in prison.

A man who committed murder after his "girlfriend" turned out to be a [trans woman] was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in prison.

Loveless Austin, 25, of 6445 S. Ashland Ave., admitted that he killed [deadname] Brent, a 33-year-old [woman] he had known as "Stella Essie."

Austin had been dating Brent, a [trans woman] impersonator who made a convincing and attractive woman, said Assistant State's Atty. Lon Shultz.

On July 16, 1985, Brent invited Austin to his apartment at 3600 N. Lake Shore Drive. During an intimate moment, Austin discovered that Brent was [trans], he told police.

Austin said that Brent raped him and that his "manhood had been dishonored," said Assistant Public Defender Gary Brownfield.

Austin "showed no anger and did nothing at that time, but upon leaving decided to get even," Brownfield said.

In a written confession, Austin admitted that he returned the next day with a sledgehammer and a knife, planning revenge. He acted as if nothing was wrong and then, as Brent slept, slammed the sledgehammer into his head, said Shultz.

He stayed in the apartment with Brent's body and later loaded up Brent's car with valuable items, including stereo and video equip ment. He fled and police caught him after they traced stolen goods sold to pawn shops, Shultz said.

Brownfield said that Austin had no criminal record and that he would have been able to argue for voluntary manslaughter-instead of murder if Austin had committed the crime on the night of the alleged rape.

"The passing of time takes it out of that [manslaughter] realm," Brownfield said. Manslaughter, which carries a much lighter sentence than murder does, is a killing committed during "a sudden and intense passion resulting from serious provocation."

Source: The Chicago Tribune, August 28, 1985 and September 12, 1986

http://www.transviden.dk/stella-essie-draebt-19850717/

http://students673.ucr.edu/docsserver/lgbt/trans_remembrance_display_posters.pdf

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10_JeZ7LEIRhvewTCoL5mVkH6MQJzf7fSXl4-P6QJ0v0/edit#gid=0

Report added: 24 Feb 2019. Last updated: 7 Mar 2026

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