Courtney Eshay Key, a 25-year-old Black transgender woman, was found dead on December 25, 2020, in the East Chatham neighborhood of Chicago. Officers discovered her in the 900 block of East 82nd Street around 8:35 p.m.; she was bleeding from the head and had injuries consistent with having been dragged by a car. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:50 p.m. An autopsy determined she died from a gunshot wound to the head, and the Cook County medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.

Officers followed a blood trail to an alley about a block away where Key’s purse and wig were recovered, and one 9 mm shell casing was found nearby. Friends and family said Key was proud to be a trans woman, close with her family and her Kors Family of South Side LGBTQ+ mentors and mentees, and they believe the killing may have been a hate crime. Police described the motive as unclear and at the time no one had been taken into custody.

Family and friends criticized officials for listing Key as male and said she had been misgendered while still being identified by loved ones. Funeral arrangements were a struggle for the family, and community groups were assisting with costs. Does anyone on the board have information about Key’s last known movements or saw suspicious activity in East Chatham on the evening of December 25, 2020?