LUCEDALE — A George County man accused in the murder of a transgender teenager is due in George County Justice Court on Tuesday for a preliminary hearing.
The Sun Herald reports that 28-year-old Joshua Vallum is held on a first-degree murder charge in the killing of 17-year-old Mercedes Williamson, a transgender girl from Theodore, Alabama, whose birth name was Michael Wilkins.
Vallum has been in custody since June 2, the day authorities found human remains under some brush on Vallum’s father’s property on Odom Road.
Authorities say Vallum told them the remains belonged to Williamson. Her identity was later confirmed through DNA analysis.
Mercedes is the ninth known transgender woman killed in the United States in 2015, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs.
Online jail records do not list an attorney for Vallum.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.