Laura Schueler, a Black trans woman, was 47 when she was killed in Cincinnati, Ohio on Saturday, June 7, 2025. TransVitae and Planet Trans first covered her story.
Local police responded to the deadly shooting on the 1500 block of Jonathan Avenue around 6:50 a.m. Saturday in the Evanston neighborhood. They found Laura at the scene with a gunshot wound.
It is a little unclear if Laura was still alive when police arrived, but she was declared dead by EMS.
While police have released few details in her murder, Schueler’s loved ones believe she was running away from her killer, stating that Schueler lived just yards from where her body was found, according to Local12.
Anyone with information regarding the death, police ask that you contact the CPD Homicide Unit at 513-352-3542.
Honoring Laura
She was an animal lover who was well known in the LGBTQ+ community. According to her socials, she had attended a friend’s birthday part on Friday night. Her feed is filled with selfies, hilarious filters, cosplay, and lots of lively antics with her friends.
The tribute posts on Facebook.
On Saturday night, Schuler’s family and friends lit candles in the same spot where her body was found, which was just down the street from her home. They told WLWT that she was into fashion, an animal lover, a generous soul and an outspoken voice in her community.
The Context
Laura is the ninth trans person whose death has been reported in 2025. . She is the seventh trans woman, the sixth Black trans woman. Laura is the eighth Black trans person, and the ninth transgender person of color on our list. And it continues to be the case that every single person on our list is a trans person of color, every single one of them.
As for Ohio, sigh. It is almost a portal for anti-trans violence. The first person I memorialized, Cemia Acoff, was killed in Cleveland in 2013. Rae’Lynn Thomas, 26, was murdered by her mother’s boyfriend in 2016. In 2015, 22 year old Bri Golec was murdered by her own father. In 2014, a Black trans teen, 17, died by suicide in a very high profile case. Her name was Leelah Alcorn. Then in 2015, a 21 year old young trans woman was killed, dismembered, and not discovered for years. Her name was Ryan Zimmerman. In 2023, a 25 year old trans man from Steubenville, OH was killed under suspicious circumstances in nearby Weirton. His name was Codii Lawrence. 43 year old Bryan Egypt Powers was killed in Akron in 2020. Tiff Edwards was killed in 2014. In 2018, a Pittsburgh native Phylicia Mitchell was murdered in Cleveland.
- Kassim Omar – September 6, 2024. Columbus, Ohio. Age 29.
- Charm Wilson – Cleveland, Ohio, September 8, 2023. Age 32.
- Kejuan Richardson – Toledo, Ohio, November 14, 2023. Age 21.
- Amiri Jean Richardson – Toledo, Ohio, November 14, 2023. Age 21.
- Tierramarie Lewis — Cleveland, Ohio, June 12, 2021. Age 30.
- Diamond Nicole ‘Kyree’ Sanders — Cincinnati, Ohio. March 3, 2021. Age 23.
- Riah Milton – Liberty Township, Ohio. June 9, 2020. Age 25.
- Lea Rayshone Daye – Cleveland, Ohio, August 30, 2020. Age 28.
In one of the most puzzling cases,a 52 year old bedridden disabled trans woman in Cleveland was found dead in 2013. Her name was Betty Janet Skinner – it was almost a locked room mystery. Except it wasn’t because someone bashed in her head. 12 years later, I still have a Google alert set up for her.
That’s 18 cases and I know I didn’t catch all of them even from my own list. Ohio may be the deadliest state for trans folx. That’s unnerving because I live just an hour away in Pittsburgh. All of this violence almost where I can touch it and nothing seems to be improving.
Rest in power, Laura. You were deeply loved and deeply grieved by your friends and family. Thank you for the joy, realness, and vivacity you brought to this world. I hope we can find your killer and bring some justice to the community. I am sorry we didn’t better protect you.
May your memory be a revolution.
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Deaths reported in 2025
- Tahiry ‘Tokyo’ Broom – February 9, 2025. Detroit, Michigan. Age 29.
- Sam Nordquist – February 2025. Canandaigua, New York. Age 24.
- Amyri Dior – February 21, 2025. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Age 23.
- Ervianna ‘Baydee’ Johnsonn – February 19, 2025. Tabor City, North Carolina. Age 25.
- Linda Becerra Moran – February 27, 2025. Los Angeles, California. Age 30.
- Kaitoria ‘Kai’ Le’Cynthia Bankz – March 31, 2025. Autaugaville, Alabama. Age 31.
- Kelsey Elem – April 24, 2025. St. Louis, Missouri. Age 25.
- Shy’Parius Dupree – May 19, 2025. Memphis, Tennessee. Age 32.
- Laura Schueler – June 7, 2025. Cincinnati, Ohio. Age 47.
Other deaths I’ve reported during 2025
- Elisa Rae Shupe – January 27, 2025. Syracuse, New York. Age 61.
- Chilendrina Gracia Dominguez – January 18, 2021. Reported February 2025. Albuquerque, New Mexico. Age 42.
- Amira O’Neill – July 6, 2023. Ann Arbor, Michigan. Age 44.
- Jay Lee – July 8, 2022. Oxford, Mississippi. Age 20.
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