A Hateful Homicide

Season 6, Episode 8: “Vanished on Vacation”Thursday June 20t, 2024 Taylor Casey (she/her), a vibrant 41-year-old Black transgender woman from Chicago, Illinois, was known for her advocacy, joy, and deep faith. In June 2024, she traveled to Nassau, Bahamas, to attend a yoga retreat, seeking rest and spiritual rejuvenation. What was meant to be a healing trip quickly turned into a nightmare when Taylor disappeared under suspicious circumstances.Taylor was last seen on June 19, 2024, during the retreat. Organizers reported that she did not attend scheduled sessions, and her absence raised alarm. Her personal belongings—including her phone and passport—were found in her room, suggesting she had not planned to leave voluntarily. Friends and family, devastated and confused, immediately feared foul play, especially given the risks transgender women of color face while traveling abroad.Authorities in the Bahamas launched an investigation, but progress was slow. Police initially treated Taylor’s case as a missing person report, but inconsistencies and unanswered questions fueled concerns. Witnesses from the retreat offered conflicting accounts, with some suggesting Taylor went for a swim while others insisted she left for a walk. The lack of clear surveillance footage and delayed investigative efforts raised suspicions of negligence or possible cover-up.As the days stretched into weeks, Taylor’s loved ones continued to push for answers. Advocacy organizations in the United States, including those focused on trans justice and racial equity, amplified her story to highlight both her disappearance and the broader issues of safety for transgender travelers. Public attention placed pressure on both Bahamian and U.S. officials to treat the case with urgency.Despite these efforts, by late summer 2024, no suspects had been publicly identified. The Bahamian authorities stated that the investigation remained open, but her family expressed frustration at the lack of transparency and accountability. While foul play has not been officially confirmed, the circumstances strongly suggest that Taylor’s disappearance was not voluntary.Taylor Casey’s case remains unresolved. Her vanishing has left a painful void in her community and serves as a chilling reminder of the vulnerabilities transgender women, especially Black trans women, face domestically and internationally. “Vanished on Vacation” delves into Taylor’s life, her dreams, and the unanswered questions surrounding her disappearance. This episode not only chronicles the timeline of her case but also examines the systemic failures that too often leave trans women of color unprotected and unheard.

20 Sep 43min

Season 6, Episode 7 – “The Honeytrap”Tuesday June 9, 2020, 25-year-old Black transgender woman Riah Milton (she/her) was lured into a deadly trap in Liberty Township, Ohio, just outside of Cincinnati. Riah, a beloved sister, daughter, and friend, was described by those who knew her as vibrant, kindhearted, and determined. Like many young Black trans women, she faced the dual burden of systemic racism and transphobia—realities that shaped both her life and her tragic death.In “The Honeytrap,” we take listeners inside the harrowing events leading up to Riah’s murder. Court documents and witness accounts revealed that suspects Tyree Cross (18), Nyimaya Smith (16), and a 14-year-old accomplice concocted a plan to lure Riah under the pretense of a meeting, intending to steal her car and belongings. The encounter turned violent, and Riah was fatally shot.This episode unpacks not only the details of the case but also the broader patterns it reflects. Riah’s story echoes a disturbing trend: transgender women of color, particularly Black trans women, face disproportionate levels of violence in the United States. Her murder occurred during Pride Month and amidst national uprisings for racial justice, further highlighting the intersections of identity, marginalization, and systemic neglect.The investigation led to swift arrests, with charges including aggravated robbery, involuntary manslaughter, and complicity to murder. Yet, as with so many cases of anti-trans violence, justice remains complex. While suspects were held accountable through the legal system, Riah’s life and potential were irreparably stolen.Through testimony, archival material, and reflection, “The Honeytrap” honors Riah Milton’s legacy while illuminating the urgent need to address the epidemic of violence against Black trans women. Her story is a call for remembrance, justice, and change.

6 Sep 53min

Show Synopsis – A Hateful Homicide, Season 6, Episode 6Title: “The Murder of Dominique Rem’Mie Fells: Death Then Dismemberment”On this harrowing episode of A Hateful Homicide, host Mallery Jenna Robinson examines the gruesome and heartbreaking case of Dominique Rem’Mie Fells, a 27-year-old Black transgender woman whose dismembered body was discovered in the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia on Monday, June 8, 2020.Titled “Death Then Dismemberment,” the episode traces Dominique’s final hours and the chilling chain of events that led to her murder. Through exclusive interviews with investigators, activists, friends, and community leaders, the episode unpacks the brutality of the crime and its devastating impact on the Black trans community.As authorities search for justice, the show reveals shocking details about the suspect, 36-year-old Akhenaton Jones, who fled the city following the murder, sparking a multi-state manhunt. The episode sheds light on the systemic failures that continue to endanger transgender lives and highlights the resilience of those fighting to ensure Dominique’s memory is not forgotten.This powerful installment challenges viewers to confront the epidemic of violence facing Black transgender women and the urgent need for justice, protection, and visibility.A Hateful Homicide—where we tell the stories they tried to silence.

9 Aug 51min

Thursday January 4, 2018 North Adams Massachusetts 42-year-old White Transgender woman and Community Advocate Christa Leigh Steele- Knudslien creator and organizer of Miss Trans Pageant New England was discovered with sharp and blunt force trauma all over her upper torso. Her husband of over 2 years 49-year-old Mark Steele- Knudslien initially is nowhere to be found, but when Detective John Casserone and CSI Agent Amanda Burgess enters the scene what they discover is a lovestory filled with tuburlence, toxicity, and turmoil leading to old saying, "If I Can't Have You" defined truly in the marriage between former LGBTQ power couple Mark and Christa Leigh Steele- Knudslien.

19 Juli 39min

Friday August 2nd, 2019 Allendale South Caroline, 24-year-old Black Transgender Woman and Hairdresser Dime Doe. She disappeared around 11:30pm that Friday after dancing the night away. The Doe Family immediately became concerned when she became unresponsive that Saturday August 3rd, her loved ones went to the Allendale Sheriff's Department and was encouraged to wait another 24-hours and in the early morning hours of Sunday August 4th, 2019 The Doe Family returned to file a missing person's report and Detective Elliott Wiggins and Federal Bureau of Investigative Agent Chad Yarborough were brought onto the scene and the investigation began leading to the discovery of Dime's body with 3- gunshot bullets to the head someone leaving her body in an abandoned field. The investigation would lead to 22-year-old Black Cisgender male Daquaa Ritter barber, and intimate partner of Dime Doe. When their relationship was revealed his actions would lead to consequences that would result in Dime making herstory as the first case to receive a hate crime statue under the Matthew Sheppard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crime Act. Find out more on this episode Season 6 Episode 4.

24 Maj 1h 5min

Sunday February 2nd, 2025 Jamestown New York 24-year-old biracial trans man Sam Nordquist disappeared after leaving his hometown in Minnesota to relocate to New York in the hopes of working on their relationship with 37-cisgender Latina female Precious Arzuaga. After spending more than several months in New York and realizing there was no hope in repairing his relationship. When he decided to leave, what Precious and her 7 perpetrators involved would inflict BTK inspired acts unto the young man to assure he would never leave. Leaving his family requesting multiple wellness checks that would result in his remains being discovered and justice to begin. We will continue to cover this case my audience. #sayhisname

12 Apr 55min

Sunday September 17th, 2023 Albuquerque New Mexico 35-year-old trans Latina female Sherlyn Marjorie disappeared after a sexual encounter with her off and on-again partner 30-year-old Cisgender Latino male Juan Jose Mendoza-Espinoza. The two met several years, and when the exposing of their secret relationship which included STIs scares and more, it would lead to a powder keg of emotions that led to a hateful homicide of a beloved loved one and community member when her body is discovered on 10 days later it would leave the City of Albuquerque demanding action for the next several years to come.

8 Mars 1h 7min

Saturday May 18th, 2019 in the City of Dallas Texas it would be the home of where 22-year-old black transgender female Muhlaysia "Lay" Booker disappeared after getting into a 4 door dark color sadan around 3:00am central standard time. Her body would be discovered by a pedestrian walking their dog. It would take the family almost 8 hours before receiving the death notification. Detective Mark Bennett and Coroner Maggy Brooks began to investigate and what the discover would leave the City of Dallas demanding justice for the next 6 years to come.

22 Feb 1h 30min