Story perspectives

Transgender Student Murder Sparks Fear at UW Campus

5/12/2026

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UW President Warns Campus

University of Washington President Robert Jones said the transgender student’s killing heightens fear across the campus LGBTQIA+ community.
A transgender student was found dead in the Nordheim Court laundry room at the University of Washington, confirming the homicide.
Police ordered residents to stay indoors, lifted the shelter-in-place after 1 a.m., noting a broken scanner.
Graduate student Joelle Dlugozima locked her door with a chair and slept little after alerts.

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Police Identify Suspect

Police identified the suspect as a bearded Black male in his mid-s, wearing a vest, button-up shirt and blue jeans.
A 19-year-old University of Washington student was found dead in Nordheim Court Apartments laundry room after a 10 p.m. emergency call.
Detective Eric Munoz warned the killer is armed and dangerous, though no threat is expected.
University officials called the death deeply distressing and offered mental-health counseling services to students.

History

Historical Context

Harvey Milk’s 1977 election made him the first openly gay supervisor in California; his assassination by Dan White on November 27 1978 sparked massive protests, including a rally of 10,000-20,000 people and a 1979 march of up to 125,000 in Washington. The legacy of that violence informs today’s response to a hate-crime killing of a transgender student at a Washington university.

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UW President Warns Campus

University of Washington President Robert Jones said the transgender student’s killing heightens fear across the campus LGBTQIA+ community.
A transgender student was found dead in the Nordheim Court laundry room at the University of Washington, confirming the homicide.
Police ordered residents to stay indoors, lifted the shelter-in-place after 1 a.m., noting a broken scanner.
Graduate student Joelle Dlugozima locked her door with a chair and slept little after alerts.

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