Community to gather for vigils to remember and celebrate KC Johnson

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - As a man charged in her death sits in a South Carolina jail, KC Johnson’s friends, family and community are planning ways to honor her life.

The LGBTQ Center of the Cape Fear Coast announced it will host a candlelight vigil in her memory at 5:30 p.m. Friday on the steps of Wilmington’s City Hall, 102 N. 3rd St. Executive director Caroline Morin said she hopes the vigil will provide support to those who knew KC and others throughout the community.

“Every day of the year we work to support and improve the lives of LGBTQ people, but particularly when a trans person is murdered, and in this case a trans woman, a population that faces a much higher violence rate than the rest of us — we felt it was important to draw attention to and honor her life,” Morin said.

Police suspect Johnson was killed last week by William Haven Hicks, who is now charged with first degree murder in connection to the case. Hicks waived his right to an extradition hearing Thursday morning, and Wilmington Police now have 20 days to pick him up from Myrtle Beach and bring him to North Carolina to face a judge.

Johnson’s family is also planning a vigil to remember their loved one. It will happen after the LGBTQ Center’s vigil, around 7 p.m. Friday at the 1300 block of King Street where police believe Johnson was killed.

Johnson’s mother, Dawn Buchanan, was not able to speak on camera at this time, but gave WECT permission to share comments she posted to Facebook Thursday. In the post, Buchanan said no one deserves this, especially not KC. She warned people, especially those in the transgender community, against meeting up with strangers they meet on dating apps and any other form of social media.

She also shared some of her favorite memories, from watching Jim Carrey movies together to always getting the “best hugs” and laughing with Johnson.

“The most caring, loving giving person I have ever met KC carries that title. You want to laugh KC was the person to make that happen. You want an in-depth conversation, KC was your go to,” she wrote in the Facebook post. “We all lost an amazing, talented, loving piece of our hearts.”

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