Paloma Catrachita Vazquez, a 29-year-old Latina transgender woman, was found shot to death inside her Houston apartment on February 26, 2022. She had been in the United States about six months after fleeing violence in Latin America. Her boyfriend found her body after arriving and seeing the apartment door unlocked; police say there were no signs of forced entry. The investigation reported she was shot twice, and investigators believe her gender identity was a factor in the killing.

No arrests or suspects have been identified. Friends, activists and community members have held vigils and rallies to honor Paloma and to demand justice, while pointing to broader patterns of violence against transgender women of color. Anyone with information about Paloma’s death is asked to contact the Houston Police Department.