EXCLUSIVE: Concord’s friend, transgender woman murdered in 1994, speaks out after Utah man’s arrest in unsolved case

CONCORD, CA (KGO) — Concord police, with the help of the FBI and the Contra Costa County Attorney’s Office, announced the arrest of a Utah murder suspect for a murder that took place in the East Bay back in the 1990s.

The victim was a transgender woman, and the suspect was a truck driver.

“I never thought this would be resolved. I was screaming on the phone!” said Brittany Shoras, who was friends with the victim.

We informed Shoras that murder suspect James Grimsley of Utah had been arrested in connection with the murder of her friend Terry Ladwig.

Ladwig, 28, was murdered in the Concord flat on Adelaide Street just over 28 years ago. The arrest took place last Thursday.

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“She was a wonderful woman, she had a wonderful character, she made people laugh. She would have brightened my day when she entered. We talked about the problems of transgender people and about laws that we did not have in those days that we have today, Shoras said.

Ladwig is identified as transgender, and although it was 1994, she was married to a US Navy sailor at the time of the murder. Her husband is not a suspect, but he was the one who found her body in his apartment after he was on military leave. The Concord police told us that he was notified of the arrest.

Police say she was beaten and strangled to death.

“I can tell you it was a violent scene, it looks like there was a fierce fight going on between Terry and the suspect,” said Lt. Sean Donnelly of the Concord Police Department.

“Is there anyone who believes it was a hate-motivated murder? That she was killed because she was transgender? we asked.

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“You know, we’re not sure about the motives, but it’s certainly possible,” said Lieutenant Donnelly.

Police say Ludwig’s murder suspect, Grimsley, is a truck driver. They don’t say how they linked him to the murder, but they say, “There’s forensic evidence in the case.” They have been working closely with the FBI and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office over the past six to eight months to make the arrest.

Shoras, who self-identifies as a transgender, has questions for the suspect.

“You knew? Did you know she’s transgender? Have you become homophobic and crazy about her? I know she was tied up with a telephone cord. What were you thinking?” Shoras said.

James Grimsley is behind bars in Utah on $1 million bail. Police hope to extradite him back to Contra Costa County soon.

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