HOUSTON – A transgender woman’s body was found in west Houston last month, and the community helped lead police to man accused of killing her, investigators said Tuesday.
Tracy Williams, 22, who was also known as Tracy Single, was found dead July 30 in the parking lot of a gas station on the Katy Freeway near Wycliffe Drive.
Joshua Bourgeois, 25, was arrested Friday and charged with murder in connection with Williams’ death.
Detectives said Williams and Bourgeois had been dating for about three months when Williams decided she was going to end the relationship. She was killed the same day she told Bourgeois about her desire to break up with him, detectives said.
Investigators said members of the transgender community immediately responded to requests for information about the case, which helped them identify her and eventually led them to a suspect in the case.
Officials said based on the facts of the case, the death would not rise to the level of a hate crime because the motivation was based on the relationship, not how the victim identified herself.