Vigil planned for slain transgender Vancouver teen

A vigil will be held Friday night to remember Nikki Kuhnhausen, the 17-year-old who Vancouver police say was killed by a man after he learned she was transgender.

The public is invited to attend the vigil from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Vancouver United Church of Christ, 1220 N.E. 68th St.

The National Women’s Coalition Against Violence & Exploitation and its community partners helped plan the event, aimed at celebrating Kuhnhausen’s short life.

Speakers will include: Lisa Woods, Kuhnhausen’s mother; two area pastors; Leeza Edwards from Queer Youth Resource Center; and Jackie Mae Stone of the Northwest Gender Alliance, among others.

Kuhnhausen disappeared June 5. Her remains were discovered after someone reported finding a human skull Dec. 7 in the woods at Larch Mountain, about 10 minutes from Larch Corrections Center.

David Y. Bogdanov of Vancouver appeared Wednesday morning in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of second-degree murder in Kuhnhausen’s death.

NWCAVE started, and posted on regularly, the Facebook group Help Find Nikki. On Wednesday, the group changed its name to Justice For Nikki. More information about the vigil can be found on its page.