Who was Elise Malary? Missing LGBTQ activist found dead in Lake Michigan

The body of a woman found in Lake Michigan in suburban Evanston in Illinois on Thursday evening was identified as missing transgender activist Elise Malary.

The 31-year-old was reported missing by her family on March 11, sparking a massive search for the Andersonville resident who has spearheaded activities for Chicago’s transgender and queer communities.

Local police found a body on Thursday in Lake Michigan on the rocks near Garden Park in the 500 block of Sheridan Square.

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Police identified the body and launched an investigation into her death. An autopsy was conducted Friday, but the cause of death was not revealed as of early Sunday.

Malary was last seen near her apartment in Evanston, not far from the border of Rogers Park, and her car was found in a parking lot a few blocks away on Tuesday. Her apartment was left unlocked when police arrived at the scene. However, they did not find anything at her home or in her car that would indicate foul play.

“She’d speak out on behalf of any issue that impacted woman of color, LGBTQ folk — her heart’s so big”, Iggy Ladden of Chicago Therapy Collective, said hours before police announced Malary’s death, according to Chicago Suntimes.

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Malary was the person who “was always there for you,” Alexis Martinez, the deceased’s friend, said after her disappearance. She had a “profound influence” through her position as a board member with the nonprofit Chicago Therapy Collective, Martinez added.

Malary “faced some personal loss in recent months” and “also occasionally expressed concerns about her safety,” a statement by the Collective released on Wednesday read. She had quit her job with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raul on March 9, police said.

“She makes me feel so seen and heard, just by being together, like without even having to say a word,” Nat Vikitsreth, who met her through social justice work, said, according to Chicago Times.

“Elise has been a good friend of mine and someone who has a leader and advocate for the trans community,” Vasquez wrote. “Her smile and energy light up every room she is in.”

The Evanston Police Detective Bureau urged the public to come forward with any information related to the death of Malary.