Lanessa Rodriguez, 35, Murdered In A Florida Robbery Attempt Is the 8th Known Person of Trans Experience to be Killed In the Last 45 Days, 2nd in the State of Florida, 3rd from the State of Florida

***Trigger Warning : Blaque/OUT Magazine recently reported the alarming statistic that 7 individuals of the Trans experience had lost their lives to violence in the US in the last 45 days. Terrifyingly, we were mistaken, it was 8. Our investigative team just learned that Lanessa Rodriguez was murdered in a robbery attempt of her Gold and Silver Pawn shop in Fort Pierce, Florida in April. This after Hailey Spotsy Singleton was murdered in Dunnellon, FL in May and Lucas Redbeard Knapp was killed in a dispute with neighbors in New Mexico. He grew up in Sanford, FL and attended Seminole High School there. Although fatal violence against Trans people slowed at the beginning of 2026, the acceleration of these crimes through the spring is beyond concerning. It is paced to rival the early 2020's when records of murders fueled by hate and transmisia were broken time and time again. The vicious vitriol and legislative attacks against Trans people are a direct link to crimes against the Trans community. Each social media post, each bad joke, and each insult or legislative attack by electeds and politicians devalues the lives of Trans people more and increases the likelihood of violence against them. The uptick of violence isn't a mistake or and accident. It is a consequence of making the wrong 1% a scapegoat.