Missing transgender woman found beaten to death in garbage bin, Chicago officials say

An Illinois transgender woman was beaten to death and her body put in a garbage bin, Chicago investigators told news outlets.

Tatiana Labelle, 33, was found dead inside a trash can on the city’s south side after midnight on Friday, March 18, the Chicago Sun Times reported.

Her death was ruled a homicide by assault, the outlet reported.

Labelle was missing for several days before her remains were discovered, according to a Facebook post by her sister, Shameika Thomas.

Thomas said that she hadn’t heard from Labelle since Sunday, March 13.

“I just want to hear [their] voice,” the post read.

Labelle’s death, and the apparent brutality of it, have been hard for Thomas to bear, she told TV station WLS.

“It is heartbreaking for someone to beat her to death and throw her in the trash like she was garbage,” she said.

“I loved my sister whether she was transgender or not, and I would like for me and my family to have justice.”

So far, no suspects have been taken into custody, outlets report.

Labelle’s death came as another trans woman was reportedly found dead in Chicago.

On March 17, authorities pulled the body of 31-year-old Elise Malary from Lake Michigan.

A transgender activist and well-known member of Chicago’s LGBTQ community, Malary was reported missing on March 11, according to police.

Evidence gathered early in the investigation did not point to any foul play, but the case is still being investigated and a cause of death has not been released.

This story was originally published March 23, 2022 at 2:12 PM with the headline "Missing transgender woman found beaten to death in garbage bin, Chicago officials say."