Trans Man Murdered After Meeting Up With Online Suitor

metroweekly.com:

WHNS, Promise Edwards, a family friend with whom Williamson had been living before his death, said that Williamson and Newton had chatted back and forth on Facebook for over a month before arranging to meet in person.The two men arranged to meet, with Newton agreeing to pick up Williamson at a Waffle House restaurant before going to Carowinds, an amusement park straddling the North Carolina-South Carolina border.According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Newton drove more than 100 miles from Monroe to Laurens — a roughly two-hour trip — to pick up Williamson for their date.

But authorities say that Newton instead brought Williamson back to his residence in Monroe, where he had been living in a trailer, before killing the 18-year-old.Edwards said Williamson agreed to download the family locator safety app Life 360 so she could track Williamson’s phone, but she became concerned after Williamson’s location was turned off.

She called to express her concerns and advised Williamson to try turning on the location tracking feature again. That was the last time Edwards was able to reach him.

Edwards subsequently called police after Williamson failed to answer his phone or respond to her attempts to contact him.Union County Sheriff’s Office officials have said that while there is no obvious motive for the murder, their investigation has not produced any evidence to support the assertion that Williamson had been targeted because of his gender identity.“My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victim in this case as they begin to mourn this unimaginable loss,” Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey said in a statement.Edwards told Charlotte CBS affiliate WBTV that she hopes parents will learn a lesson from Williamson’s.