(CNN)The body of a woman found Thursday in Lake Michigan has been identified as missing transgender advocate Elise Malary, Illinois officials say.
Firefighters recovered the body of a woman on the shore of Lake Michigan and transported her to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office, according to a statement from the Evanston Police and Fire Department.
The body was “conclusively identified as 31-year-old Malary” on Saturday.
According to police, Malary was reported missing by a family member on March 11. She last had contact with her family two days ago.
The woman was last seen near her home in Evanston, and her car was found by police in a nearby parking lot on Tuesday, CNN affiliate WLS reported.
While authorities discovered Malary’s apartment had been left unlocked, police said they found nothing in her home or car, suggesting foul play. No cause of death has been released yet.
Malary was a recognized LGBTQ+ rights activist in the Chicago area. According to LinkedIn, she was a community outreach specialist with the Chicago Therapy Collective, a group dedicated to supporting mental health in the transgender community.
Malary also spent time as a communications associate for Equality Illinois and as an intern at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
Chicago Therapy Collective said in a statement on Facebook the group was “heartbroken” at the loss of one of its board members.
“The outpouring of love, caring and community response reflects the profound impact of Elise’s love and intercession on so many of us,” the statement said. “We hope that you will take care of each other tenderly.”
Government officials also remember Malary’s impact on the transgender community.
“The loss of Elise Malary is heartbreaking. My heart goes out to all of their loved ones, as well as to the entire Illinois transgender community,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in one statement on twitter.
The governor pledged to “continue to make Illinois welcoming and inclusive for all.”
So did Maria Hadden, Chicago Alderman for the 49th District tweeted your condolences saturday
“It breaks my heart to announce that Elise is no longer alive and is no longer with us,” Hadden said. “Our community is beginning to process their loss and our grief. Elise Malary will be missed terribly.”
According to the WLS, Malary’s cause of death and manner of death are still pending. The Evanston Police Department’s investigation is ongoing.
Add Comment