In the cold of a Minneapolis December, the life of a 25-year-old Black and Puerto Rican transgender woman, Ra'Lasia Jaquil Wright, was tragically cut short. On the first day of the month in 2024, her body was discovered in the 3300 block of 10th Avenue South, near Powderhorn Park. It was her own family and friends who, after not hearing from her since the previous night, used her phone's location data to find her. She was found unresponsive, having suffered a gunshot wound to the chest.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed the cause of death was a homicide.
Friends and family describe Ra'Lasia as a vibrant and protective individual, well-known and loved within the Minneapolis club scene. She was known for standing up for others in her community. Concerns grew when she didn't return home, and a friend received an SOS emergency text from her phone late on the night of November 30th. The location provided in the alert led them to the unfamiliar neighborhood where she was found. It is believed she had no connection to the area where her life ended.
The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating her death, but as of now, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. This lack of progress has been a source of immense frustration for her loved ones and the wider community. They have held vigils to honor her memory and to demand justice, calling for more transparency from the police and for anyone with information to come forward. Friends have expressed their pain and frustration, highlighting the deep loss they feel and their determination to find answers. They remember her as a loving person who was full of life and a pillar of support for her friends, particularly within the transgender community. The investigation into her death remains ongoing, with authorities appealing to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest and bring closure to those who knew and loved her.
