Trans woman Michelle Henry strangled, stabbed to death in San Francisco

San Franciscans are mourning the death of Michelle Henry, a 25-year-old transgender woman who died May 15 after being strangled and stabbed.

Police responded that afternoon to a report of a fight between two people in a home, according to The Bay Area Reporter.They found Henry lying on the ground. She had been stabbed multiple times. Paramedics attempted to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police arrested Raymani Yuhashi, 33. She is charged with “the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought,” as a San Francisco Police Department report puts it.

San Francisco’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner “has certified the manner of death as homicide and cause of the death as ‘asphyxia due to neck compression’ with a significant contributor of ‘multiple sharp force injuries,’” Executive Director David Serrano Sewell told the Reporter.

Henry had been involved in the SF LGBT Center’s youth program. “Michelle was a ray of light for our team and so many others she connected with over the last two years at the center,” Executive Director Rebecca Rolfe told the publication. “Her warmth and presence were felt in every room she walked in. She was kind, deeply caring, courageous, and fearless. Michelle’s death is a profound loss for our community. There are no words to fully convey what we are collectively feeling right now — our grief is immense. We want to thank those who cherished Michelle, and our hearts are with all who had the opportunity to truly know, love, and care for her.”

“She was a light in our community and committed her life to trans liberation,” added Veronica Pritipaul, a navigation specialist at the center “With her passing, we have not only lost our dear sister, but a mentor and stalwart of the trans community.”

“Michelle Henry was a cherished member of our community,” said Honey Mahogany, director of San Francisco’s Office of Transgender initiatives. “Her murder is a reminder to us that, even here in San Francisco, we have to continue fighting for the safety and well-being of all transgender people.”

“At 25, she had her whole life to look forward to,” noted an Instagram post from the city’s Transgender District. “She was a friend to everyone and always willing to help out another. Such a beautiful soul that was taken from us too soon.”

Some of Henry’s friends believe her killing was a hate crime, but police and prosecutors have not so far classified it as such.

Although police have made an arrest, they are continuing to investigate the crime. They ask that anyone with information call the SFPD Tip Line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.