CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL TO HONOR MEMORY OF TRANSGENDER MURDER VICTIM RESHAE (LUCUS) McCAULEY

LARGO, Florida, December 19, 2003. Please join Transgender FORGE, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equality Florida, and the friends and family of Reshae (Lucus) McCauley in honoring her memory at a silent candle light vigil to be held on Sunday, December 21, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. at Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive, in the heart of Largo.

Nearly two weeks ago, Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community was shocked and saddened to learn of Reshae’s brutal murder. Although Reshae’s murder was widely reported in the media, it took a while before the word got out that it was a member of our LGBT community who had been killed. The media reports all listed the murder victim as Lucas McCauley. Many of her LGBT friends new her as Reshae.

On the night she was killed, Reshae spend the evening at Z109 (formerly Lost Boys and Lost & Found), a Largo club that caters to the gay and transgender community. She was seen at the bar that night with William McHenry, a man who witnesses reported they had never seen before. A few days later, McHenry was arrested at his girlfriend’s house, where McHenry also lived, and charged with Reshae’s murder. Police also found a knife and a pair of jeans splattered with what looked like blood at the home of McHenry’s girlfriend.

The undercurrent of vulnerability and fear that often pervades our community has suddenly leapt to the surface.

Please join us on Sunday, December 21, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. for a silent candlelight vigil in Reshae’s memory. The vigil will be a silent testimony to peace, dignity and acceptance for all people.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Janice Carney, E.D. Transgender FORGE 727-399-0305