BEAUMONT, Texas — Beaumont Police have now taken over the investigation into the death of a transgender woman who was found in a Port Arthur Canal in March 2021.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Above video is from March 2021.)
Police now believe Cordell Marquis Evans, 24, of Beaumont, who went by the name Aidelen, may have been killed in Beaumont.
Evans, who was last seen by family in February, was not reported missing until after her body was found in a canal in the 3700 block of Savannah Ave in Port Arthur.
She was last known to be a transient and frequented the area of College and Fourth Street in Beaumont according to Beaumont Police.
Beaumont Police ask that anyone who knew her call them at (409) 832-1234.
"This is heartbreaking, I don't care what nobody has to say. Nobody should have this. Nobody — no parent should have to go through this," Evans’ grandmother Lois Balka told 12News in March.
"It's hard, it's really hard. And the only thing you can do is look to God and ask him — he's the only one that really knows," Evans' grandfather Dexter Balka said at the time.
Port Arthur Police initially called Evans' death suspicious. The first autopsy was inconclusive. So, relatives requested a second autopsy.
"It's hard you go to sleep at night and you think about 'Lord please give us an answer, please give us an answer,’" Lois Balka said.
"I just hope and pray that we find out exactly what happened where we can have some closure," Dexter Balka said.
These grandparents knew their grandchild as Cordell. Other loved ones had embraced her identity as "Aidelen."
They wonder whether her identity was a factor was in her death.
"Cordell, I love you baby. Regardless of what you was, I still love you, and I wish you were here. Even though sometimes we didn't get along, I wish you were here with me. You will always be in my heart," Lois Balka said.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
From a Beaumont Police Department news release...
On Friday, March 19, 2021 the body of Cordell Marquis Evans, AKA Aidelen, a 24 year old transgender female from Beaumont, was located in a canal in the 3700 block of Savannah Ave in Port Arthur. Through investigation, Detectives believed that foul play was involved and that Evans was possibly killed in Beaumont. BPD Detectives took over the case and began investigating. It was discovered that Evans was last seen by family sometime in February, however, he was not reported missing prior to his body being found in Port Arthur. He was last known to be a transient who frequented the area of College and 4th Street in Beaumont. BPD Detectives are asking anyone who knew Evans or has any information surrounding his death to contact Beaumont Police at 409-832-1234 or submit an anonymous tip through Southeast Texas Crime Stoppers at 409-833-TIPS(8477). You can also download the P3 tips app on your smartphone to submit Crime Stoppers tips.