A Brooklyn murder victim whose throat was slit by her deranged boyfriend in her home identified herself as a “proud trans woman,” it was revealed Monday — as devastated friends paid tribute.
Eryka Caldwell, 41, was found with multiple stab wounds and her throat slashed at her home in Bushwick around 8:50 a.m. Sunday, police said.
Her lover, Jonathan Fernandez, 38, was scheduled to be arraigned in court Monday on charges of murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Police were called to the townhouse at the intersection of Cooper Street and Irving Avenue to reports of a woman crying for help and saying she was being stabbed, and allegedly found Fernandez sitting calmly on the couch waiting for officers to arrive, sources said.
Stunned neighbors confirmed to The Post that the victim was Caldwell, who described herself on Instagram as a “Proud TS woman” and had a series of LGBT Pride flags in her bio.
“I’ve been living in this neighborhood for a very long time,” one local, who lives in the building next to Caldwell, told The Post.
Describing it as a “very quiet neighborhood,” the woman, who asked not to give her name, added, “A lot of families are just taking care of their families, working. It’s really nice, for the most part, very peaceful.”
The woman said she got home at 6 a.m. Sunday and didn’t see anything until the afternoon.
“I saw police tape later in the afternoon, but I didn’t even realize what was going on,” she said, adding that the scene was “really quiet.”
Caldwell’s loved ones shared tributes to her on Facebook on Monday.
“Sis you didn’t deserve this!!! You with your momma now! RIP. We love you!!!” one user wrote, sharing a picture of Caldwell.
“I love you so much. There are not enough words that can describe how much I love you!” wrote another friend.
“You were truly a blessing!” the mourner added. “Your Soul was so beautiful and your light was radiant! You were a light that shined [sic] bright. A radiance that everyone felt. We were family! You were my Muva! I will love you always and forever! Until we see each other again. I love you.”
Fernandez has a lengthy rap sheet, including a previous assault charge in 2024 for punching a man, drug arrests in 2024 and 2022, and various robbery and theft charges dating back to 2015.
