Joëlla Mahitoga
Age 457 Feb 2026
Nouméa, Nouvelle-Calédonie (France)
Beaten
Joella was beaten to death in the street. Her killing provoked a strong response in Nouvelle-Calédonie (a French overseas territory), where she was a well-known volleyball player.
Two men were detained and charged. The suspects were already known to the police for thefts, with violence for one of them. Aged 19 and 24, they admitted to having beaten the victim in the Saint-Quentin neighborhood, a sparsely frequented area of mostly derelict buildings.
Last weekend in Nouméa, Joëlla, 45, was killed by around fifteen kicks to the head. The Public Prosecutor’s Office of New Caledonia announced the arrest of two suspects.
The two suspects were already known to the police for thefts, with violence for one of them. Aged 19 and 24, they admitted to having beaten the victim in the Saint-Quentin neighborhood, a sparsely frequented area made up of derelict buildings.
This crime provoked a strong emotional response in the French-speaking Pacific archipelago, where Joëlla was locally known for playing volleyball.
Referring to the “extreme violence” of this murder, the LGBTQI+ association Rainbowlution Nouvelle-Calédonie recalled that transfeminicide is far from being an isolated act: “This tragedy tragically reminds us that transgender people remain particularly exposed to violence. It underscores the urgency of strengthening prevention, awareness, and protection of LGBTQIA+ people and of actively fighting against hate speech and acts.” The feminist association La Tresse Nouvelle-Calédonie also noted that this murder “fits into a broader context of systemic violence against transgender people”. A gathering in tribute to Joëlla is being prepared, in agreement with the victim’s family.
https://www.dnc.nc/deux-hommes-interpelles-apres-le-meurtre-dune-femme-transgenre/
https://www.yarnsheal.com.au/transfeminicide-in-new-caledonia-joella-beaten-to-death/
https://voixducaillou.nc/2026/02/11/meurtre-de-joella-les-suspects-incarceres-le-pays-sous-le-choc/
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=789245174197239
