ABOVE: Alexus “Kimmy” Braxton, photo via Facebook.
Miami-Dade Police have put out a plea for the public’s help in identifying the murderer of Alexus “Kimmy” Braxton, a Black trans woman who was found dead in her bedroom the night of Feb. 4.
In a video shared through social media, Miami-Dade Police Det. Juan Segovia said that Braxton, 45, was found dead in her apartment at Carmel at the California Club condominiums. He described the scene as a “violent and vicious attack.”
“The family has been left with no closure,” he said. “They’re suffering tremendously because of the death and the manner in which our victim passed away, was murdered.”
Police shared surveillance footage of a person of interest, wearing a black zip-up track sweater over a white shirt and black pants. They believe this person may have been involved or has information about the murder.
https://twitter.com/MiamiDadePD/status/1361363787748700162
“We always believe that somebody may know something that they may not even realize will help us with this case,” he said. “We’re hoping that somebody out in the community may be able to identify this individual.”
In the video and captions released by Miami-Dade Police, Braxton is referred to with she/her pronouns. However, she is called by her deadname and a flier released by police labels her as a Black male.
“In 1999, I witnessed my best friend get murdered in the streets of Miami,” Tatiana Williams, the co-founder and executive director of TransInclusive, told SFGN in an email. “Sadly, since her murder, I’ve lost many more friends due to senseless violence. Here we are in 2021, it’s my daughter Alexus ‘Kimmy’ Braxton. I have no words to express how I feel. However, there is one thing that remains the same: law enforcement, state officials, and local/national politicians have no sense of urgency to address this growing epidemic. My question: ‘What will it take?’”
Neki, Braxton’s sister, told NBC6, “Whoever did this, you need to come forward. You hurting our family. You hurting everyone around us, and we want to know, why, why, why would you do it? What would the reason be for you to do such a crime and do such an act on a beautiful person?”
Braxton is believed to be the sixth transgender person killed in the United States this year, according to the Human Rights Campaign. This followed the deadliest year on record for trans people — in 2020, at least 44 trans people were killed, a huge increase from the 25 killed in 2019.
In Florida, Tony McDade, a Black trans man, was shot and killed by a police officer in Tallahassee in May 2020. Bree Black, a Black trans woman, was shot and killed near her Pompano Beach home over the Fourth of July weekend. And Yunieski Carey Herrera, a Hispanic trans beauty queen in Miami, was stabbed to death by her husband in November in the middle of Transgender Awareness Week.
The public can share any information anonymously with Miami-Dade Police Det. Juan Segovia at 305-471-2400 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
