Police have arrested a suspect in the shooting death of male-to-female transgender Muhlaysia Booker.
Booker, 23, was fatally shot around 6:40 a.m. on May 18. Booker was killed weeks after being assaulted by a mob in a viral video that made national headlines.
Edward Thomas, 29, was arrested in connection with the attack on Booker. He was charged with assault and released on bond. Police say he is not linked to Booker’s shooting death.
Kendrell Lavar Lyles was taken into custody and charged with Booker’s murder and two other murders in the Dallas area.
Lyles, 34, was arrested for the May 22 murder of a biological woman after police acted on a tip from the public.
Lyles is also a person of interest in the murder of MTF transgender Chynal Lindsey whose body was pulled out of a reservoir on June 1.
Police Chief U. Reneé Hall said Lindsey’s body showed signs of “homicidal violence.” She asked for the public’s help to find the person who was targeting LGBT+ victims.
Hall expressed concern that a serial murderer might be targeting transgenders.
“We are concerned, and we are actively and aggressively investigating the case,” she said, adding that police contacted the FBI to assist with the investigation.
In the days before his arrest, Lyles allegedly shot a man during a drug transaction that went wrong. The man later died.
While working that case police realized Lyles’ car – a light-colored Lincoln LS – matched the description of the car that picked up Booker at an intersection on the city’s southeast side in the early morning hours of May 18.
Police also said Lyles’ cell phone placed him in the area of the intersection before Booker was murdered.
Booker and Lindsey are among 10 Black MTF transgenders to be killed in America this year. Most of the trans victims were sex workers.
