The family of a transgender woman who was murdered says weeks after her death, they are still without answers regarding the circumstances of her death and the identity of the person responsible.
Denton police say 20-year-old Dylan Gurley was found dead on Holland Lane in late July.
Erin Mendiola told NBC 5 that her daughter spent her earliest years growing up in Little Elm as a boy.
Eventually, Dylan Gurley told her family she identified as transgender.
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“We have watched her change from an uncomfortable kid to herself,” Mendiola said.
Gurley began using she/her pronouns as she transitioned.
Her mother said Gurley was doing well, coming off a bad relationship and had recently been living in a shelter.
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On July 23, her family got a call from one of Gurley’s friends, saying Gurley had been found dead.
“It was really traumatizing for me because I didn’t even have confirmation that it was her until I went up there and I said I need to know right now whether this is my child or not,” said Mendiola.
Denton police said Gurley was found unresponsive at an abandoned home on Holland Drive. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office ruled her death a homicide by blunt and sharp force injuries and strangulation.
“It’s just senseless, the rage behind it, and the anger behind it,” said Mendiola. “I just wish that things could be different, that she would have a chance to live her life.”
Weeks after her death, Gurley’s family told NBC 5 they were troubled by the lack of an arrest in the case.
They believed the murder was motivated by Gurley’s gender identity.
“I’m angry, I want some answers, and I want to know why the world has to be like this?” said Mendiola. “I mean she didn’t bother anybody.”
NBC 5 reached out to Denton police asking if any suspects had been identified and if the department was investigating the case as a hate crime.
“No arrests have been made,” a department spokesperson said in a response. “Maintaining the integrity of the investigation is vital, so we do not have additional suspect or case details to share at this time.”
“Detectives are examining the case from every angle, including whether the offense was motivated by hate or bias,” Denton PD continued.
The family and LGBTQ advocates will soon hold a memorial service for Gurley, celebrating her life and calling for answers in her death.
“We can’t make anybody be held accountable for this,” said Mendiola. “And that’s what my issue is, I want somebody to be held accountable.”
The memorial service for Gurley will be held at the Little Elm Rec Center at noon on Saturday, Aug. 17.
