The Murder of Transgender Teen Mercedes Williamson
She died in a brutal hate crime and her ex-boyfriend was the killer
Michael Christopher Wilkins was born on September 10, 1997, in Gulf Shores, Alabama. At the age of 14, he transitioned from male to female and changed his name to Mercedes Williamson.
Williamson was a happy teenager. She had dreams of becoming a cosmetologist and she enjoyed spending time outdoors. However, at some point, she became estranged from her parents, dropped out of high school, and moved alone from Gulf Shores to the town of Theodore. During this time, she dated Josh Brandon Vallum, age 28.
On May 30, 2015, Williamson was found murdered by Vallum. She was beaten and stabbed. She was only 17 years old when she died.
Why did Vallum murder Williamson and did it have anything to do with the fact that she was transgender?
The murder
Vallum and Williamson had an affectionate and open relationship. They dated for eight months before breaking up.
On the day of the murder, Vallum picked up Williamson from Dauphin Island, Alabama. Even though they had broken up for some months, he told her that he was taking her somewhere private just to have sex.
