Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien was a beloved figure in the Massachusetts transgender community. She was known for years of committed activism and service. She worked tirelessly to make the lives of those who walked her same path a little bit better. Sadly, her life was cut short in 2018 when she was killed by her own husband in a fit of rage.
However, her husband, Mark Steele-Knudslien, is now paying for that terrible crime. He recently had his day in court and was sentenced to life in prison last week after pleading guilty to his wife's heinous murder.
In Berkshire Superior Court, Steele-Knudslien acknowledged with that he stabbed his wife and beat her with a hammer in their home on the night of January 4, 2018, after a heated argument got out of hand. He also reportedly told police at the time of the incident that his wife "belittled" him constantly, which led to his anger at her spiraling out of control.
After the murder, the transgender community was grieving deeply. Social media was a flurry of posts about all the activist had done for the community. She had been a fierce advocate for trans rights, knowing first-hand how tough it was to live a life that not everyone understood.
Immediately following the murder, police found her dead in the couple's family home. According to investigators, Mark walked himself into a police station after the murder and told officers he had done “something very bad.” In his initial interview with the police, he admitted to killing his wife.
He reportedly told detectives he “snapped,” according to MassLive. One reason he named for the attack and subsequent murder was that his wife "belittled" him, he said. According to his statements, they had gotten into an argument that turned violent.
Police also reported that he said he hit her several times with a hammer and then stabbed her in the back with a large knife before wrapping her body in a tarp, police said. It’s hard to imagine how such a horrific crime can take place, especially between a husband and wife.
It makes it an even sadder situation because Christa thought she had found someone who really loved her.
Friends and family will never get Christa back, but they are sharing their joy on social media that the sentencing came back the way it did. Berkshire district attorney Andrea Harrington issued a statement after the sentencing. “I send my heartfelt condolences to those who loved Christa dearly and the entire transgender community who looked up to her as a leader,” the statement said.
The statement continued: "This is yet another horrific domestic violence homicide in the Berkshires. My office focuses on holding perpetrators of these crimes accountable and this sentence will keep a very dangerous person away from the community for years to come.”
While violence against the transgender community is not uncommon, which is a sad reality, it's important to note the way these crimes are treated in the courts. Hopefully, harsh penalties for anyone who commits violence like this will become the new normal.
Christa had some wonderful accomplishments to her name. She launched the first New England Trans Pride event about 10 years ago. She, along with other advocates, also started the Miss Trans New England Pageant. It brought together trans women from across the region.
"Her thing was always that transgender women are beautiful and need a venue for trans women to be seen as beautiful,” her friend Justin Adkins said. Christa's life seemed to impact the lives of so many. Though she deserved to be here for far longer, her impact will be felt for a long time to come.
Violence against the transgender community is a huge problem that isn't going away. It's even more jarring when that violence comes from members of the person's own family. In this case, it was the result of an argument that became violent, but in many cases, it's simply a result of hatred toward the trans community.
Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien was the first known transgender person to be killed in 2018, according to national LGBTQ organizations GLAAD and Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Far too many trans people are dying at the hands of violence. There were at least 26 (reported) murders of trans individuals in 2018. In 2019, at least 22 were killed.
