Arrest in double murder of Texas man, transgender woman
HOUSTON-- Police have arrested a man suspected of beating and stabbing another man and a transgender woman, before shooting her, on April 10 in Houston,reports CBS affiliate KHOU.
Tariq Lackings, 23, is charged with capital murder in connection with the deaths of Shante Thompson, 34, and Willie Sims, 33. Thompson was originally named Robert Isaac.
Witnesses said a group of up eight people armed with several weapons swarmed the two victims in the street, beating them with what may have been either a crowbar or tire iron. The victims were then stabbed and Thompson was shot.
Thompson's mother, Leola, says she experienced harassment before her murder.
"They were bothering him. They kept on picking on him," said Leola Thompson, who refers to the victim using male pronouns. "He was telling me that for a long time, they have been bothering him and bothering him. I've been trying to keep him down from this way."
Investigators believe there are additional suspects involved.