Investigative and Forensic Themes in U.S. Transgender Homicides (2013- 2023)

Panter, Heather ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1512-7085 (2025) Investigative and Forensic Themes in U.S. Transgender Homicides (2013- 2023). [Data Collection]

Abstract

This comprehensive and multi-year dataset (2013-2023) was collected from open-source information (i.e., government reports, police reports, post-mortem reports, prison records, etc.) alongside published online media reports regarding victimological circumstances, location(s) of body recovery, circumstances surrounding body recovery, method of homicide, geographic considerations, arrest information of suspect(s) if applicable, conviction(s) if applicable, antemortem injuries, post-mortem injuries, and post-mortem actions of suspect(s) was examined to provide a descriptive account of these US transgender and gender non-conforming homicides. The dataset was constructed over the course of several years to identify forensic and investigative themes in homicides involving transgender and gender non-conforming victims.

Additional Information:	Depositing user's licence comment: Due to the nature/subject matter of this research, to gain access we ask that you email LST_Research_Support@ljmu.ac.uk Please tell us 1. Your name 2. Why you wish to gain access 3. What you intend to use it for Thank you
Creators:	Panter, Heather
ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1512-7085
Uncontrolled Keywords:	homicide; Police administration, procedures and practice; Victims; Forensic psychology; Forensic intelligence
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.24377/LJMU.d.00000218
Division:	Justice Studies (new Sep 19)
Field of Research:	?? 350305 Forensic intelligence ?? ?? 440211 Police administration, procedures and practice ?? ?? 440218 Victims ?? Psychology > Applied and developmental psychology > Forensic psychology
Date Deposited:	24 Feb 2025 12:08
Last Modified:	24 Feb 2025 12:08
URI:	https://opendata.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/218
Data collection method:	For this dataset I examined (n=27,151) published online open-source media reports of US transgender homicides alongside official data sources (i.e., government reports, police reports, post-mortem reports, prison records, etc.) over the course of several years. Official homicide victimisation data came from the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR), the most used official data source for homicide data in the US, alongside yearly Uniformed Crime Reports (UCR). Initial online open-media reports were identified through using LexisNexis and NewsBank databases while also searching for all news items published by online and print mainstream news outlets. Further relevant open-source material was initially identified by using a search string that contained the terms “homicide”, “murder”, “LGBT” and “transgender” alongside the state name/ jurisdiction where the reported homicide occurred. This included information on transgender and gender non-conforming victims from print, news magazines, news, alongside other open-source data from LGBTQ+ research agencies (e.g. Transgender Europe’s (TGEU) “Transgender Respect Versus Transgenderphobia Worldwide” Project and “Transgender Murder Monitoring Project”; Human Right’s Campaign’s (HRC) “Annual Reports of Anti-Transgender Violence” projects) and other advocacy information agencies (e.g. Transgender Center for Transgender Equality, GLAAD; Trans Lives Matter “Remember Our Dead Project”). This open-source information searching provided crucial missing details about the victims, the offenders, and case specific information not currently recorded in official FBI crime reports, local police reports, prison reports (if a homicide conviction), court reports (if a homicide sentence), or coroner reports where injuries and causes of death were outlined. Yet, relying solely upon non-profit or trans rights activists’ information regarding victimology and case specific details was limiting at times due to noticeable data inconsistencies. Therefore, I used official police, prison, court, and coroner reports to collaborate and cross-reference any case specific information form said non-profits.
Geographic coverage:	United States
Resource language:	English
Metadata language:	English
Statement on legal, ethical and access issues:	N/A as the data came from open-sources
Collection period:	From To 1 February 2013 1 January 2025