Trans Woman Johanna Metzger Murdered in Baltimore

This is at least the sixth homicide of a transgender American in 2020.

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

April 15 2020 4:08 PM EST

May 31 2023 6:10 PM EST

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Transgender woman Johanna Metzger was stabbed to death in Baltimore Saturday, making her at least the sixth trans American to be murdered this year.

Metzger, from Pennsylvania, was staying at a recovery center in Baltimore, TV station WMAR reports.

Her death was announced by local LGBTQ center Baltimore Safe Haven and by Baltimore City LGBTQ Affairs, a division of the mayor's office.

"We are heartbroken to report another trans woman has lost her life to violence here in Baltimore," Baltimore City LGBTQ Affairs noted on its Facebook page. "Today, we lift up the name and honor the life of Johanna Metzger. We wish comfort to those whose life she touched."

Few details have been reported about the crime, but the LGBTQ Affairs office is seeking information from the city's police department, according to the post. LGBTQ Affairs and Baltimore Safe Haven will coordinate a response to the crime.

Metzger was a college graduate and a self-taught musician who played multiple instruments, her mother told WMAR.

Baltimore Safe Haven held a virtual vigil in her memory Tuesday via Zoom. During the vigil, Safe Haven founder Iya Dammons noted that violence against trans people has been going on in the city for years. "The trans community, LGBTQ, nonconforming community matters, and they need to step up and address this throughout the city," she said. "This has gone on for way too long. ... Baltimoreans, are you listening?"