In the late afternoon of December 19, 2019, the life of Yahhira Nesby, a 33-year-old Black transgender woman, was tragically cut short inside her Brooklyn apartment. Emergency responders were called to her home on Rockaway Parkway in the East Flatbush neighborhood at approximately 4:30 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Ms. Nesby with gunshot wounds to her chest and leg; she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Prior to the discovery, neighbors reported hearing a loud argument coming from
the apartment, followed by a crashing sound that was later determined to be gunfire. The initial investigation led police to a 39-year-old man, believed to be in a relationship with Nesby, who was found behind the building with an injured foot. It appeared he had jumped from a second-story window around the time of the shooting. He was taken to a local hospital for his injuries and was questioned by authorities. Though initially considered a suspect, he was later released, and no charges were filed against him.
The focus of the investigation later shifted to a different individual. The New York Police Department released surveillance footage of another man they identified as a person of interest. This man was described as being between 30 and 35 years old, with a dark complexion, standing approximately six feet tall, and weighing around 250 pounds. In the video, he was seen near Nesby's apartment building wearing a black jacket, black jogging pants, gray sneakers, and a black winter hat with white lettering.
Friends and loved ones gathered for a vigil near her apartment days after her death to honor her memory. Despite the release of the surveillance video and the ongoing investigation, no arrests have been publicly announced in connection with the murder of Yahhira Nesby. The case remains an open investigation as authorities continue to seek information that could lead to the apprehension of the person responsible for her death.
