Man charged with murder in deaths of transgender woman, friend
HOUSTON - Charges have been filed against a suspect in the deaths of a transgender woman and a man who were killed in Midtown. Tariq Lackings, 23, is charged with capital murder.
Robert Issac, 34, and Willie Sims, 33, were found lying in the middle of Dennis and Fannin streets on April 10.
According to Houston police, Issac was suffering from gunshot and stab wounds, and Sims was suffering from stab wounds. Both died at the scene. The suspects fled before police arrived.
Isaac lived as a woman, and went by the name "Shontae."
Family members told Channel 2 that Isaac and Sims had been having some sort of trouble with another group of people for several months.
A family friend who had come to pick up Isaac found both victims lying in the road bleeding. Witnesses told him they were attacked by a group of people.
Isaac's cousin says the people attacked the victims because they were jealous.
"It was some other homosexuals hating and jealous because she didn't bother nobody. He did his thing, they were jealous, it was an ongoing altercation. Something happened three weeks ago [and] I thought they squashed it, I'm thinking it was over," Calvin Jones said.
Isaac's mother said she was on the phone with her son when the attack occurred.
"Before they got off the phone they said 'There they go, there they go right there.' And I was trying to make him get back on the phone. Next thing I knew someone was knocking on my door telling me I had to come downtown, saying that was it, he was dead," Leola Thompson said.
Accompanied by community activist Quanell X, another transgender woman turned herself in for questioning days after the murders. Joe Colquitt, aka "Serenity," was considered a key person of interest. Quanell X said Colquitt had knowledge, but was not involved.
Further investigation identified Lackings as the suspect. He was arrested Wednesday and subsequently charged.
HOUSTON - Charges have been filed against a suspect in the deaths of a transgender woman and a man who were killed in Midtown. Tariq Lackings, 23, is charged with capital murder.
Robert Issac, 34, and Willie Sims, 33, were found lying in the middle of Dennis and Fannin streets on April 10.
According to Houston police, Issac was suffering from gunshot and stab wounds, and Sims was suffering from stab wounds. Both died at the scene. The suspects fled before police arrived.
Isaac lived as a woman, and went by the name "Shontae."
Family members told Channel 2 that Isaac and Sims had been having some sort of trouble with another group of people for several months.
A family friend who had come to pick up Isaac found both victims lying in the road bleeding. Witnesses told him they were attacked by a group of people.
Isaac's cousin says the people attacked the victims because they were jealous.
"It was some other homosexuals hating and jealous because she didn't bother nobody. He did his thing, they were jealous, it was an ongoing altercation. Something happened three weeks ago [and] I thought they squashed it, I'm thinking it was over," Calvin Jones said.
Isaac's mother said she was on the phone with her son when the attack occurred.
"Before they got off the phone they said 'There they go, there they go right there.' And I was trying to make him get back on the phone. Next thing I knew someone was knocking on my door telling me I had to come downtown, saying that was it, he was dead," Leola Thompson said.
Accompanied by community activist Quanell X, another transgender woman turned herself in for questioning days after the murders. Joe Colquitt, aka "Serenity," was considered a key person of interest. Quanell X said Colquitt had knowledge, but was not involved.
Further investigation identified Lackings as the suspect. He was arrested Wednesday and subsequently charged.
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