Eryka Caldwell, 41, Murdered In Act of Intimate Partner Violence

*****TRIGGER WARNING

NEW YORK: Eryka Caldwell’s, 41, live-in boyfriend, Jonathan Fernandez, 38, was arraigned in court Monday on charges of murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Police say he fatally slit Caldwell’s throat and stabbed her multiple times inside their Brooklyn apartment early Sunday morning. He was found sitting on the couch calmly waiting for authorities to arrive before being taken into custody.

Neighbors reported hearing breaking glass and screams for help and called police. Within five minutes authorities arrived and jumped through a back window to gain entry to the building. EMTs arrived to the townhouse at the intersection of Cooper St and Irving Ave in Bushwick shortly after and took the victim to Brookdale Hospital where she later would be pronounced deceased. There has been an out-pouring of grief and condolences to Caldwell on social media where the most recent pictures posted were of her and the man who would seemingly end her life.

At least 8 people of the Trans experience were murdered in the United States in 2026. We say at least because murders of Trans people often go unreported when the media and authorities misgender them. In just the last 30 days, Davonta F. Curtis, Lucas Redbeard, Dannielle Spillman, Aleanna Belcher, Hailey Spotsy Singleton, and Juniper Blessing were victims of homicide.

To learn more about these cases and every known person of the Trans experience that has been killed since 2018, visit the TRAII Index.