Cris Blehar
Age 65 (born 1 Aug 1955)21 May 2021
Flaherty, Meade County, Kentucky (USA)
Stabbed and shot
Cris was killed in her home. A suspect has been charged and is due to be tried in June 2022.
The family of a U.S. Air Force veteran who was murdered in May has identified her as transgender, making her the at least 49th transgender person to be killed violently in the United States this year, according to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
65-year-old Cris Blehar was found stabbed and shot to death in her Kentucky home. An 18-year-old suspect, Tyler J. Petty, who police say may have worked for Blehar, has reportedly confessed to the murder and will go to trial in June 2022.
Blehar’s obituary describes her as an animal lover who formerly worked for Continental Airlines and then as an Uber Driver. She left behind a son, [name redacted].
Blehar’s cousin, Mark Stephens, contacted HRC to identify her as trans. Stephens wanted Blehar to be “remembered, honored, and counted.”
Cris was a former law enforcement officer in the U.S. Air Force and retired from United/Continental Airlines. She also worked as an Uber driver and loved animals and bowling.
“If there is one thing to know about Cris, it was that she fought fiercely to define her life as SHE wanted. Whether it was her military service, her 20+ year career in the airline industry, or her post retirement decision to buy a farm & start a family of her own. She lived life to the fullest and wanted everyone around her to live their best life as well. Growing up ‘different’ in Kentucky is certainly no easy task, something we shared in addition to being cousins, and she tackled it with the passion and zeal that only she could have. Her friends will always remember her infectious personality & her unmistakable laugh. She loved others passionately and fiercely, none more than her own son, [name redacted].”
Blehar’s son [name redacted] also remembered her, writing:
“Cris was an amazing mother and a wonderful person. She had so much love and brought a smile to many. She had a hilarious sense of humor that will live on through those that knew her. She will be sorely missed!”
Cris was full of life and it is appalling that she was so violently taken from this Earth. It is comforting to know that she was well loved by friends and family, but her death highlights the need to combat gun violence and all of the factors that contribute to these killings.”
As Cris' murder only came to light after the Transgender Day of Remembrance 2021 her name was not included in the official TDoR 2021 list released by Transgender Europe (TGEU) in November 2021.
Her Facebook profiles are https://www.facebook.com/cris.estrada3 and https://www.facebook.com/cristina.estrada.94, and her Instagram profile is https://www.instagram.com/crisblehar.
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/12/06/cris-blehar-veteran-trans-death-hrc-kentucky/
https://www.pghlesbian.com/2021/12/trans-woman-cris-blehar-65-murdered-in-kentucky-in-may-2021/
https://www.chismfamilyfunerals.com/obituary/Cris-Blehar
https://gunmemorial.org/2021/05/21/cris-blehar
