The SFPD says that the man who was the prime suspect in last week's fatal stabbing on McKinnon Avenue was found hanging from a fence, dead from an apparent suicide one day after the murder. As SF Weekly first reported, the victim in the stabbing was 36-year-old trans woman Taja DeJesus, and it was later revealed that the suspect, 49-year-old James Hayes may have been found dead on Monday, on the 4000 block of Third Street.
It's unclear how Hayes and DeJesus knew each other, or for how long. SFPD spokesperson Officer Albie Esparza would not confirm that Hayes was the suspect in the stabbing, but wouldn't only say that the case was not being investigated as a hate crime.
As the Chronicle reports, DeJesus grew up in San Jose and her mother said she knew she was trans from a very young age.
Nikki Calma, a program manager at SF's Trans Thrive nonprofit community center, tells the Chron that Taja "was very vocal about issues in the trans community, especially when it came to health and disparity. She was well known and will definitely be missed."
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.