ABOVE: Bee Love Slater. (From Facebook)
Bee Love Slater was found burned in a vehicle in Clewiston, Florida the morning of Sept. 4, just a week shy of her 24th birthday.
The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating her death as a homicide. While they are still trying to establish a motive, Slater’s best friend Kenard Wade and many others believe that this was a targeted attack that had to do with her being transgender.
Wade told WINK News that Slater was receiving threatening messages from someone. And in text messages sent the night of the fire, she told Wade that she wanted to leave town.
The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office police report states that the crime most likely occurred between 2 and 2:19 a.m. on Sept. 4. In the report, Slater is identified as a male and referred to by her dead name.
Slater’s friend Antorris Williams told Out Magazine that she was a “sweet girl” and that she “transitioned very early and she was in a great place.”
Equality Florida posted about Slater’s death on Facebook Sept. 6.
“Violence against the transgender community, especially black transgender women, continues to rise. This is not acceptable! We need the community, elected officials, and law enforcement to come together to uproot anti-transgender hatred and bigotry and put an end to this epidemic of violence,” the statewide LGBTQ organization wrote.
The ACLU posted to Instagram saying that Slater’s death marks the 18th murder of a transgender person this year.
The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office urges anyone who might have any information on the crime to reach out to them at 863-764-5600 or to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
Watermark has reached out to the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office for a statement. This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information is released.
