In the early morning hours of January 17, 2015, the life of Lamia Beard, a 30-year-old transgender woman of color, was tragically cut short in Norfolk, Virginia. She was discovered on a sidewalk in the 700 block of E. 25th St. suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency services transported her to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, but she ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
In the immediate aftermath of her death, a significant portion of the narrative was shaped by the misgendering and
deadnaming of Lamia by some media outlets, a painful slight to her identity and a distraction from the pursuit of justice. This aspect of the case drew condemnation from advocacy groups who highlighted the frequent disrespect and violence faced by transgender women, particularly women of color.
The Norfolk Police Department opened an investigation into her death, which they classified as a homicide. Another shooting occurred in a nearby location around the same time, injuring a 24-year-old man, but authorities were unable to definitively link the two incidents. In the initial stages of the investigation, police reported having no leads or suspects in Lamia's murder.
Years have passed since Lamia Beard was killed, and despite the initial investigation and calls from the community for justice, there has been no public announcement of any arrests made or suspects identified in connection with her murder. The case, like so many others involving transgender women of color, appears to have gone cold, leaving her family and community without answers or closure. The pain of her loss was compounded by the initial media coverage that failed to respectfully acknowledge her gender identity.
