Dallas police arrested a man who is accused of slaying transgender woman Muhlaysia Booker, who was found shot to death last month in Far East Dallas, and is a suspect in the death of Chynal Lindsey, who was found dead in White Rock Lake.
Kendrell Lavar Lyles was arrested June 5 on murder charges in two unrelated killings. He was already in custody when police linked him to Booker’s death, authorities said at a news conference Wednesday.
Police connected Lyles to Booker because he drove a Lincoln LS similar to the one Booker was seen in on the day she died. An analysis of Lyles’ cell phone showed he frequented Spring and Lagow and put him in the area at the time Booker was picked up May 18. It later showed him at the scene of her murder.
The 33-year-old is also a person of interest in the death of Lindsey, 26, another black transgender woman whose body was pulled June 1 from White Rock Lake. She was found less than a mile from where Booker was discovered near the Tenison Park Golf Course.
Police first issued an arrest warrant for Lyles in connection with a fatal shooting at 7815 McCallum Blvd. on May 22. A witness identified Lyles as the shooter. The next day, police responded to another fatal shooting at 17509 Coit Road. A witness told police she and Lyles had met a man for a drug sale. When the man approached their car, Lyles shot him
The other two victims were not transgender, police said.
Lyles is being held at the Collin County jail on three counts of murder, records show.