It was near heavy brush along between the feeder and Spur 527 at Richmond Avenue a week ago that the body of Myra Ical, 51, was found. Police say the body was found partially clothed, badly bruised and had a number of defensive wounds. The Harris County Medical Examiner's office today says the cause of death was strangulation by some type of ligature.
Cristan Williams with the Transgender Foundation of America said, "That in and of itself was just a horrific way to die. Her last moments of life were sheer terror."
Williams says Ical was born a man but lived as a woman. Somewhere, Williams says, someone knows something about how she died.
"These are people that are targeted because they are transgender," Williams said. "They are people like me.
Williams say there have been seven transgender murders in Houston in the past 11 years. She wonders why not one of those cases has yet been solved. Police say they have no evidence linking the cases. In fact, they can't even confirm that there are seven transgender murders because they don't classify them as such. What they do say is that they have few leads on Ical's murder.
"It could have been anything at this point," said Sgt. Bobby Roberts with the Houston Police Department. "We just don't have any motive whatsoever on this case."
Organizers of a vigil are expecting a crowd of about 150, calling it the largest transgender event in Houston's history. They hope to highlight Ical's murder and those that preceded it as well.
