Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Last week, we reported on the disappearance of a 26 year old trans drag artist from Canton, Ohio. Sadly, police have now determined this is a homicide investigation.

Canton police announced late Thursday that the disappearance of JJ Godbey is now a homicide investigation. They’ve charged Daniel Mattay, Ryan’s former boyfriend, with four felonies: murder, felonious assault, strangulation and domestic violence.“New evidence has led our agency to transition the case from a missing person to a homicide investigation,” Canton Police Chief John Gabbard wrote in a news release. “While [JJ] Godbey has not yet been located, the new evidence makes it clear that [they are] deceased and that Mr. Mattay is responsible.”

I cannot begin to imagine how JJ’s family and friends are coping with these developments, waiting for someone to find them. That’s an ‘in between’ space of such heartbreak.

Honoring JJ

Note: There are conflicting reports on how JJ identified. I will default to gender nonconforming (GNC) as a broad category and use they/them pronouns as well as the name JJ Godbey. The tragedy is that this young beautiful soul was robbed of life by someone they trusted, maybe loved. We should honor their identity, of course, but until that becomes more clear – and I don’t know how that could happen – I’m choosing to honor them in this way.

JJ was born and raised in the Canton, Ohio area. They graduated from Massillon Washington High School in 2017. Their social media lists Mariah Carey and Lady Gaga as favorites along with Pink and Ciara. JJ was also a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their page lists a wide range of movies they enjoyed.

JJ was very popular in the regional LGBTQ community – supporting causes and local businesses as well as standing with the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting and supporting transgender rights. JJ was considered an excellent makeup artist, was named to homecoming court in high school and may have been in the band.

A few weeks before their disappearance, they shared a desire to take sewing lessons to make costumes. Prior to that, they expressed interest in learning how to tend bar.

JJ gave their first drag performance in September 2024. On their TikTok, they shared a video saying their interest in drag started very early.

A memorial drag show has been set for Friday, July 11 at Barmacy Bar in Akron, Ohio. I am not aware of any formal crowdfunds so please be careful responding to asks. I’ll update if I find something.

The Context

JJ is the 11th trans person whose death has been reported in 2025. They are the second white trans person. This means 90% of violent deaths among trans folx reported in 2025 to date include BIPOC folx.

Ohio feels especially brutal for trans folx. A recent memorial focused on a trans woman in Cincinnati , Laura Schueler.

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.

I’d like to take a closer look at the data.

Domestic or interpersonal intimate violence is another significant concern. Rae’Lynn Thomas was murdered by her mother’s boyfriend while Bri Golec was murdered by her own father. Ryan Zimmerman was killed the spouse and partner of her live-in-boyfriend. And now JJ. To learn more about the impact of domestic violence within the LGBTQ community, please visit this HRC site.

10 of the 18 cases I mentioned targeted trans youth 26 and under.

I am hopeful the search for JJ’s body will be resolved soon to allow friends and family to grieve.

Rest in power, Jj. Your beautiful and generous spirit changed your community. I am sorry violence stole your life as you just got started.  I hope the overwhelming number of people who came looking for you is a source of comfort. They will always come looking. That’s our promise to you.

May your memory be a revolution.

Please do not share this content without attribution. Thank you.

Deaths reported in 2025

1. Tahiry ‘Tokyo’ Broom – February 9, 2025. Detroit, Michigan. Age 29.
2. Sam Nordquist – February 2025. Canandaigua, New York. Age 24.
3. Amyri Dior – February 21, 2025. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Age 23.
4. Ervianna ‘Baydee’ Johnsonn – February 19, 2025. Tabor City, North Carolina. Age 25.
5. Linda Becerra Moran – February 27, 2025. Los Angeles, California. Age 30.
6. Kaitoria ‘Kai’ Le’Cynthia Bankz – March 31, 2025. Autaugaville, Alabama. Age 31.
7. Kelsey Elem – April 24, 2025. St. Louis, Missouri. Age 25.
8. Shy’Parius Dupree – May 19, 2025. Memphis, Tennessee. Age 32.
9. Laura Schueler – June 7, 2025. Cincinnati, Ohio. Age 47.
10. Hope Lyca Youngblood – June 7, 2025, Los Angeles, California. Age 49.
11. JJ Godbey – June 19, 2025, Canton, Ohio. Agee 26.

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.