| Preferred Name | Sandy Woulard | City | Chicago | ||
| Other Names Used | State | IL | |||
| Age | 28 | Gender Identity | Transwoman | ||
| Race | Black | Date of Death | 06/21/2010 |
Click to See Legal Name
Credale Woulard
Crime Category: Sex Work | Weapon Used: Gun
On June 21st, 2010, in Chicago, IL, Sandy was found shot on the street. Police believed the motive could have been related to sex work or a possible robbery. No suspect or motivation was found.
Owen Daniel-McCarter, an attorney with the Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois: “Daniel-McCarter said the area where Sandy was found is known within trans circles for prostitution. Other sources confirmed Woulard had been arrested several times for prostitution. Consistent with the police report, Sandy was found with money in her purse, it appears likely a client committed the crime with a motive beyond robbery.”
Report: “Her body was found by a passing motorist near the corner of 75th and Halsted. Authorities report that Woulard died from a fatal gunshot wound to her chest leaving her dead at the scene.”
Sandy was pronounced dead at 3:45 a.m. at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.
Lessons from Death: Chicagoans Reflect on Transgender Day of Remembrance: “Woulard’s murder remains an unsolved crime that, until Saturday’s remembrance ceremony, went mostly unaddressed by other media outlets and LGBT community leaders.”
“If Sandy had been a white person or had lived in a different neighborhood of Chicago, her death would have been politicized in a very different way and that says something about our movement,” Daniel-McCarter said. “The lack of response to her death reflects the sense from our community that someone like Sandy is disposable and we are complacent in that.”
“Some advocates say one reason Woulard’s murder received little attention in mainstream press was the high likelihood she was engaging in sex work at the time of her death. Put bluntly, her life — one lived in the margins for reasons beyond her gender identity — proved problematic to the white picket-fence, middle-upper class image some LGBT organizations work to maintain.
“But there’s a reason why people commit survival crimes,” Daniel-McCarter added. “To me, this is a reminder of how much work we have to do to expose some of the racism and classism within our queer movement.”
Location: 7500 S. Halsted in Hamilton Park, Chicago IL, at about 3:00 a.m.
Personal Information:
There are very few personal details of Sandy available.
“Rashanti Ebony, a friend of Woulard for seven years, said, “This is not the first murder on Halsted, but this one is going to change things. We knew it was leading up to something like this. I just can’t believe it; we grew up together.” Ebony added that a rumor has circulated in the South Side neighborhood that Woulard, a 29-year-old Black sex worker, must have tricked one of her clients into thinking that she was born female.
“She wasn’t the type to trick people,” Ebony responded. “Sandy was very cautious. She’s not out there to trick or steal from people. When you can’t get a job or nothing, that is all we have. It really can shake you up; it could’ve been anyone of us. I know because I’ve walked that street before.”
Last Public Update: 11/24/2010
AP. (2010, June 22). Lansing man among fatally shot in Chicago – Sandy Woulard. The Times, 22.
Erbentraut, J. (2010a, July 1). Transgender woman found murdered in Chicago – Sandy Woulard. Edge Media Network. https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/story/107516#
Erbentraut, J. (2010b, November 24). Lessons from Death: Chicagoans Reflect on Transgender Day of Remembrance – Sandy Woulard. Gapers Block. https://gapersblock.com/ac/2010/11/24/lessons-from-death-chicagoans-reflect-on-transgender-day-of-remembrance/
Harrison, M. (2010). LOCAL NEWS Transwoman’s killing stirs community – Sandy Woulard. In Windy City Times.
Schoenberg, N., & Lee, W. (2022, July 3). Seeking Justice: The murders of transgender women often go unsolved – Sandy Woulard. Southern Illinoisan, A1.
Sosin, K. (2010, November 24). Transgender advocates discuss violence in Chicago – Sandy Woulard. Windy City Times. https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Transgender-advocates-discuss-violence-in-Chicago/29568.html
Images are publicly available through public sources, personal posts, family members and information websites as well as stills from cited videos and news websites. Images are digitally enhanced for artistic purposes. All information is accurate to the best of the author’s knowledge at time of publishing. Updates will be made as needed.
