Black Transgender woman murdered in Florida, suspect remains at large

A Black transgender woman was found dead in Clearwater, Florida, over the weekend and police have issued appeals to the public to help locate the suspect in the murder.

Officers responded to Palmetto Park Apartments on West Avenue at around 8 a.m. on Saturday and found the victim’s body behind one of the apartment buildings, WFLA reported.

In tributes on social media, family and friends identified the victim as 49-year-old Keri Washington, who they said was also known as “Bobo.”

In a news release posted on Facebook on Monday, the Clearwater Police Department said 59-year-old Arthur Benjamin Jr. is wanted for first-degree murder in Washington’s slaying.

The department issued an appeal on Facebook for help locating Benjamin, who they said is also known as Hadeeka Shabazz.

“The suspect has an extensive criminal history and was known to the victim,” police said.

They described him as just over 6 feet tall and weighing 190 pounds. He wears glasses and is balding with a white chinstrap beard, police added.

The Clearwater Police Department has been contacted for additional comment.

“Lord please continue to watch over my family,” Bernadette Demps-Jackson wrote on Facebook on Sunday. “Keri Washington aka BOBO You will forever be LOVED and MISSED.”

In a blog post, the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ advocacy group, said Washington’s death is at least the 20th violent death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person this year.

“Our community is yet again in mourning as a result of senseless acts of violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people,” Tori Cooper, the director of community engagement for the HRC’s Transgender Justice Initiative, said in a statement.

“Keri was at least the fourth transgender woman killed in less than 10 days, each of them Black or Brown. We urge everyone to end the stigma against transgender people, and to destroy the roots of transphobia and racism that fuel this violence.”

HRC noted Washington is at least the second transgender Black woman killed in Florida this year after the murder of Alexus Braxton, a 45-year-old hairstylist, in Miami in February.

HRC said it recorded 44 deaths of transgender and gender non-conforming people in 2020— the most since the group began tracking in 2013.

Anyone with information about Benjamin’s whereabouts is urged to call the Clearwater Police Department on 727-562-4242 or use tip411.