In Minneapolis, a 30-year prison sentence has been handed down to Damarean Bible, a 25-year-old man convicted of the second-degree murder of Savannah Ryan Williams, a transgender woman. The incident took place on November 29, with Bible admitting to fatally shooting Williams. During the sentencing hearing, Williams’ mother, Kim Stillday, described her as a beloved best friend who lit up every room she entered.
Prosecutor James Hannemon characterized the killing as a cold-blooded and unprovoked act, stating that Williams had encountered someone who placed little value on her life. Bible expressed remorse at the hearing, acknowledging the need to serve time for his actions. He confessed to feeling suspicious during a sexual encounter with Williams, which led to the fatal shooting.
This tragic incident occurred near a light-rail station in Minneapolis, the second attack on a transgender woman in the area in 2023. While two men had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting a trans woman during a robbery, authorities determined that the motive was not bias-related. The local LGBTQ+ community also faced turmoil after a shooting at a punk rock show in August 2023, resulting in one fatality and six injuries.
Reflecting on a broader national trend, the Human Rights Campaign highlighted in a November report the deaths of 335 transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals due to violence, including at least 33 fatalities in the preceding year. The victims, predominantly young and people of color, with Black trans women disproportionately affected, were mourned by advocates for LGBTQ+ rights.
Although LGBTQ+ activists had called for Williams’ death to be treated as a hate crime, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty cited insufficient evidence to establish Bible’s motive as such. Pursuant to Minnesota law, Bible will serve around 20 years in prison followed by supervised release for the remainder of his sentence.
