CoCo Chanel Wortham, a 44-year-old transgender woman of color, was fatally shot in Dallas, Texas, on August 7, 2021. Known as Miss CoCo, she was a well-known figure in the local community, often seen in encampment areas of downtown Dallas with others experiencing homelessness. Miss CoCo was originally from Kansas City, Kansas, and was described as a "master cosmetologist" and a "giving and kind person" by her friends.
Her death marked at least the 34th death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021, highlighting the ongoing violence against this community.
On the night of August 7, 2021, at approximately 10:08 p.m., officers responded to a shooting call at a homeless encampment in the 500 block of Park Avenue. CoCo Chanel Wortham was found with gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. The motive and circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear, and the Dallas Police Homicide Unit is investigating the case as a potential hate crime. A silver sedan was seen fleeing the scene westbound on Marilla Street after the shooting.
The Dallas Police Department has released images taken from surveillance video of the vehicle seen fleeing the scene and is asking for the public's help in finding CoCo Chanel Wortham's killer. Despite the ongoing investigation, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case has drawn attention to the high level of violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people, particularly Black and Brown trans women, and has sparked calls for action to address this issue.
CoCo Chanel Wortham's death has been mourned by the LGBTQ community and homelessness advocates in Dallas. The Nu Trans Movement described her as a "small girl with a big, bubbly personality" who was "proud to be living her truth." Advocates have expressed concern that the country is on pace to surpass the record number of known trans people murdered or facing violent deaths, which was set in 2020. Miss CoCo's death is being investigated as a hate crime, although Texas state law does not explicitly include gender identity within hate crime statutes. The Dallas Police Department has appealed to the Justice Department and the FBI to get the case declared a hate crime.
