Lyles pleads guilty in murder of Muhlaysia Booker
Kendrell Lavar Lyles, 37, will be sentenced to 48 years in prison after pleading guilty early today (Monday, Nov. 6) to the May 18, 2019, murder of transgender woman Muhlaysia Booker.
Jury selection was set to begin this morning in Judge Carter Thompson’s courtroom in Lyles’ trial on murder charges in connection with Booker’s death.
Instead, Lyles entered a guilty plea. According to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, victim’s impact statements will be held Thursday.
Lyle is also facing two murder charges out of Collin County in the deaths Leticia Grant and Kenneth Cichochki. Booker’s mother Stephanie Houston, founder of the Muhlaysia Booker Foundation, said in a written statement, “No amount of time can bring Muhlaysia back, and although we wish the sentence was capital punishment, our family can finally have some sense of closure knowing that justice was served and he can’t cause any more families hurt and pain.” Ahmad Goree, president of the board for Muhlaysia Booker Foundation, added, “We hope this sentence sends a message that trans lives matter and those who decide to do this community harm will face justice.
