Transsexual Murdered in Belgrade

BELGRADE, January 20, 2009  –  A transsexual person was found dead in her flat in Belgrade at the weekend, the Serbian LGBT group Queeria told UK Gay News last night..

Minja Kochis, aged 39, who had recently undergone a sex change operation, was killed in a rented apartment in Belgrade.

"The body was found on Sunday by a friend of the landlord, who came to collect the rent," said a spokesperson for Queeria said.

"The door to her apartment was not locked and there wasn’t any trace of forced entrance."

The representative of the landlord had opened the door and entered the house, police said.  He found the body lying on her stomach in the living room, beside the bed.

On the floor were traces of blood.  He immediately informed the police.

“Investigations by the police determined that Ms Kochis had been stabbed twice in the chest, the Queeria spokesperson explained.

“A clean knife was founded in the sink – and there was no evidence of robbery.

“Police are working on the theory that the murderer had washed the knife after the crime to remove traces.”

With no signs of a forced entry into the apartment, the police are working on the theory that the murderer was known to Ms Kochis.