Reshae McCauley
Age 307 Dec 2003
Largo, Florida (USA)
Stabbed
TDoR list ref: tdor.info/7 Dec 2003/Reshae McCauley
Reshae died from severe upper body trauma after being stabbed by a man she took home from a club.
William McHenry, 37, was sentenced to life in prison for her murder.
LARGO-A Largo man who stabbed a transgender [woman] to death after the two left a Clearwater nightclub together was sentenced Monday to life in prison.
William McHenry, 37, left Club 2109 with [deadname] McCauley on the night of Dec. 6. 2003, and went to McCauley's home, 1701 Valencia Drive, Largo. There, authorities said, McHenry stabbed McCauley to death.
McCauley, 30, spent [her] days working as a unit secretary at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. At night, [she] frequented Club 2109 dressed as a woman named Reshae. The chub caters to a gay and transgender clientele.
Law enforcement had considered the murder a possible hate crime, said Largo police Chief Lester Aradi. Monday's sentencing brought relief to those who were involved with the case.
"This was a particularly heinous crime and a very traumatic one for the victim," Aradi said. Kim McCauley, Lucas' mother, found her [daughter] dead the next night in the living room of [her] apartment, which was next door to her home.
McHenry, who at the time was living with a 55-year-old female companion, was arrested and charged with murder within days of the slaying. After a four-day trial that started earlier this month, jurors found McHenry guilty.
Pinellas-Panco Circuit Judge DeeAnna Farnell sentenced McHenry.
The murder sparked fear in the gay and transgender community. Shortly after the crime, Equality Florida, a gay advocacy organization, held a vigil for McCauley.
"With this particular case being brought William to justice, it is certainly a step in the right direction," said Brian Winfield, communications director for Equality Florida. "It's good to see that at least in some cases, justice is served."
https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-murder-of-transgender-wo/74470643/
