Two Florida Mothers Are United By Slain Black Gay Sons

Detectives in Fort Lauderdale continue to search for suspects in the death of Simmie Williams Jr, the 17-year-old black gay teenager who was gunned down by two unknown men, possibly because he was wearing a dress at the time. The case becomes more tragic as news surfaces that five years ago, another young black gay man wearing a dress was shot on the same stretch of road—and he was the son of a family friend.

"I can't believe it happened again," says Veta Calloway, the mother of Timothy Broadus. The 22-year-old was shot dead on Jan. 8, 2003. Simmie Williams Jr. was shot dead on Feb. 22, 2008.

According to the Sun-Sentinel:

"She tries to comfort Williams' mother, Denise King, 38, whom she met around the time Broadus was killed. Both families lived in the same Hollywood apartments at the time, and King dated Broadus' brother.

Williams was just 12 when Broadus died, and the two young men never met, the mothers said."

The Williams and Broadus cases remain unsolved and police do not believe this is the work of the same killer, "although there were similarities. Both victims identified themselves as gay and sometimes dressed as women, and they were both shot by killers who may have made anti-gay slurs."

Several readers have commented that they're disappointed the Williams murder is not receiving the broader, national exposure of the Lawrence King case. The motives and circumstances are not similar. It goes without saying that young black gay men killed while in drag, and, most likely working as prostitutes, are never magnets for public sympathy. That's why it's promising the Sun-Sentinel and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department are working so hard to bring attention to the Williams case.

Years Later, Mothers Shed Tears for Slain Sons [Sun-Sent]

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Comments

[banjiboi]

My question is, why didn't that celebrity filled anti-hate message (Ashanti, Janet, et al.) now making the rounds on You Tube include Rashawn and Simmie?!!!!!

[Ben]

This is the first I've heard on speculation that Simmie was turning tricks. Rod, where did that info come from? Is it speculation on your part, from within the general reportage, or part of the police investigation's scenario?

[Rod McCullom]

Ben, are you a new reader? This has been a prominent topic of discussion in all of the news articles and the comments on this blog. The intersection where Williams was killed was a popular location for transvestite prostitutes.

From The Sun-Sentinel:
"Broadus worked as a prostitute along a portion of Sistrunk favored by cross-dressing prostitutes and their customers, and Williams may have been doing the same, police said."

365 Gay/AP:
"The body of Simmie Williams Junior was found in a pool of blood Friday in an area frequented by transsexual prostitutes. Williams was declared dead at hospital.

Police said that Williams was wearing female clothing and may have been working as a prostitute. She also was known to go by the names Chris and Beyoncé."

If you read this blog, hopefully you realize my goal is to be fair. Fear and shame are big issues in our community, and, we cannot solve our problems if we are not honest with ourselves.