Friday May 15, Joseph B. Cannon was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. The 40-year-old man was arrested after the tragic death of Nina Pop, a 28-year old Black trans woman from Sikeston, Missouri.
We previously reported that on May 3rd, Nina Pop was as found in her apartment stabbed and murdered.
Prior to Cannon’s arrest, and outcry of activists and some social media circles helped raise attention to the investigation and murder of Pop. Pop's death marks a string of 2020 murders of Black trans women.
No motive has been disclosed; however, McMillen assured that police were looking into the possibility of Pop’s death being a hate crime.
Tori Cooper, director of community engagement for HRC’s Transgender Justice Initiative, said in a recent post, “The intersections of racism, transphobia, sexism, biphobia and homophobia conspire to deprive them of necessities to live and thrive.” Cooper continued, “This epidemic of violence that disproportionately targets transgender people of color— particularly Black transgender women— must cease.”
Rest in Peace Nina Pop.