Man Who Dated Houston Trans Woman Charged With Her Murder

Joshua Dominic Bourgeois and Tracy Single

Joshua Dominic Bourgeois, 25, is charged with the murder of 22-year-old Tracy Single.

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.

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Trudy Ring

August 26 2019 1:24 PM EST

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Houston police have made an arrest in the murder of transgender woman Tracy Single, also known as Tracy Williams.

Joshua Dominic Bourgeois, 25, was arrested Friday and is charged with murder, the Houston Chronicle reports. Police said he had been dating Single, 22, whose body was found in a parking lot July 30. She had suffered lacerations and puncture wounds.

Her name wasn't made public until two weeks later, as the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office had to release a photo of her in order to get help from Houstonians, including the local transgender community, in identifying her.

Sixteen transgender Americans are known to have been murdered this year. All but one have been Black women. The lone exception was transgender man Jordan Cofer, who died in a mass shooting committed by his brother Connor Betts in Dayton, Ohio, August 4.

Constant reports of violence against our community are difficult to read, especially as we continue to face historic rates. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, you can reach out to the Anti-Violence Project's free bilingual (English/Spanish) national hotline at (212) 714-1141 or report online for support.