TDoR 2016 / 2016 / August / 11 / Rae'Lynn Thomas


Rae'Lynn Thomas

Age 28

11 Aug 2016
Columbus, Ohio (USA)
Shot and beaten

TDoR list ref: tgeu/11-Aug-2016/Rae'Lynn Thomas

Rae'Lynn Thomas
Rae'Lynn Thomas [photo: www.advocate.com]

Rae'Lynn was shot and then beaten in her home by her mother's transphobic ex-boyfriend.

The horrifically deadly summer for black trans women claimed another victim this week, this time in Columbus, Ohio.

Rae'Lynn Thomas, 28, was shot and then beaten by her mother's ex-boyfriend in their Columbus home Wednesday, reports local TV station WBNS. Thomas is the 19th trans person known to have been murdered in the U.S. this year.

While Thomas's family was accepting of her authentic identity, an ex-boyfriend of her mother's who still lived with the women, James Allen Byrd, made no secret of his transphobic attitudes. He reportedly often referred to the transgender woman as "the devil."

Thomas's mother, Renee Thomas, was home at the time of her daughter's murder, and described the attack to police and media. "He was in the bedroom and he just came around the corner and shot [Rae'Lynn],” she said. After firing at her twice, Byrd — who was nearly a foot taller and 100 pounds heavier than the petite Thomas — proceeded to beat her with any heavy object handy.

Renee Thomas says the last thing she heard was her daughter begging for her life, saying "Mom, please please don’t leave me. Mom, I’m dying."

Thomas called police and Byrd was arrested shortly thereafter.

Rae'Lynn's Facebook profile is https://www.facebook.com/raelynn.thomas.92.

TvT project: The Advocate & 10TV, 11.08.2016

https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/8/12/ohio-trans-woman-raelynn-thomas-murdered-mothers-ex-boyfriend

https://transgriot.blogspot.com/2016/08/tow-more-trans-women-of-color-killed-in.html

https://mic.com/articles/151406/rae-lynn-thomas-ohio-transgender-woman-killed-by-mom-s-ex-who-called-her-satan

http://blackyouthproject.com/ohio-transgender-woman-raelynn-thomas-killed-by-mothers-ex-boyfriend/

Report added: 18 Sep 2018. Last updated: 13 Jan 2021

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This site contains reports of violence against transgender people, and links to detailed reports which contain graphic imagery.

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