I received the very sad news this morning that performer and friend of many girls in our industry, Morena Black had taken her own life.
She’d not been very active in production in the last year but had appeared in a lot of our scenes during 2016 and 2017 as well as productions by other companies including Evil Angel.
Morena was a big presence, with a big beautiful smile and I know of many other performers whom had been touched by her warmth either in person or across social media where she was active and she was one of the people that once met, was hard to forget.
I can only pass on my sincere condolences to her friends and family. It’s always tragic when such a young person takes their own life and I believe many people will be affected by her untimely death.
Rest in Peace Morena. I will not forget that smile.
Cashmere – Jan 1997-18th May 2019 – aged 22 – murdered.
RIP
Sadly, I was shown the news this morning that Black-Tgirls model, Cashmere had been shot and murdered in Dallas, on Saturday.
You may have seen viral video last month where Cashmere was brutally beaten by a group of men. It’s not yet know if this incident is related to her murder.
Cashmere debuted on Black-Tgirls in summer of 2018 and returned in March 2019 in her latest scene – one of our most popular debut models of last year. Everyone at Grooby is shocked and saddened to hear of her death and we pass our love and compassion to her friends and family.
Cashmere – Jan 1997-18th May 2019 – aged 22 – murdered.
RIP
Michelle Washington, who performed under Ivy, and Nyobi Khan was shot to to death in Philadelphia on Sunday May 19th. There have yet to be arrests.
I’d met Ivy personally, she was active from 1999-2008 as an adult performer and model, and highly sought after appearing in Grooby websites and DVD productions as well a number of scene’s on Kink’s ‘TS Seduction’ and in Evil Angel releases under titles by Joey Silvera.
She appeared in her first shoot with us in 1999, when Tony Vee worked with her in NYC … followed by Frank working with her in Vegas, and after she was in California for a while, Buddy Wood worked with her last in 2008. She was a hugely popular model and performer for her good looks, sassy attitude and ability to perform well and realistically one of the early genuine black trans stars who appeared over multiple companies, for a long period.
Although I hadn’t seen her in years, she would pop up
On behalf of Grooby, I want to wish condolences and love to her friends and family.
Ivy – Dec 1978 – May 19th 2019 – aged 40 – murdered.
We received a notification that GroobyGirls model “Kitty Doll” died in an motorbike accident in Palo Alto, California in May.
Kitty Doll was an early model of Radius Darks’ and appeared in sets on Grooby Girls in 2013. She was a popular model and someone who helped Radius as he was just starting to shoot.
Our regrets and sympathies go to her friends and family.
Kitty Doll. Accidental death by motorbike. Aged 33.
” Aries was more to me than a model in front of my camera. She was a good close friend. This senseless killing has left a void in my heart. I will deeply miss our long phone conversations. I will miss our late night hangouts where we would just sit in my car and just talk about life, and the sruggle. The thing i am going to miss the most is that smile of yours. Rest In Paradise Aries.. “
KilaKali – photographer/producer.
There is very little information on who or why Aries was shot to death on Oct 14th. The suspect was arrested at the scene but further details have not been forthcoming.
She was a popular model on Black-Tgirls, having just made a fantastic return after 5 years, and a friend to our producer KilaKali.
We pass on our regrets and sympathies to her friends and family.
We were informed on 5th May 2020 that model Tiny Woods had died apparently of an asthma attack. We have no further details at this time.
Tiny has only appeared in a few shoots, debuting in 2015 but not returning until 2019 but was a popular model on Black-Tgirls.com and had planned new shoots in 2020.
We received and confirmed information that one of our long time models and performers passed earlier this month. Athena Adams was 34, and died in Los Angeles we have no further details at this point and are unwilling to speculate.
Originally from New Orleans, she first worked for Grooby in 2004, in Detroit where she had relocated to. She worked in a number of solo and hardcore scenes across our sites and productions from 2004-2009, and after an extended hiatus and a relocation to Los Angeles continued working with Blackula and Buddy Wood. During this time she also worked with Pure-TS, and ran her own website for a time.
Although she hadn’t appeared on a website since 2016, she was active on Twitter (@AthenaAddams) as recently as May and had attended recent Transgender Erotica Awards events.
Personally, I’d met her a number of times and always found her energetic, lively and engaged person who was easy to talk to. She was a popular performer and appeared at least 25 times on Grooby websites.
We will post further details should we get them.
RIP – Athena Addams – 34 yrs old – July 31st 2020 – Death TBD
We received a report earlier this month which we were unable to substantiate that one of our models, known only as ‘Kimmy’ passed in June 2020. We now sadly, have confirmation of this.
Kimmy has been appearing on our sites since 2012 and has appeared every year since then, mainly on Black-Tgirls.com and it’s sister site. I believe she appeared on other companies websites also.
We have no further details on the nature of her death but if that should change, we will let you know.
I’d only ever communicated with Kimmy over email or messenger, she was a keen performer who was always looking for more work. She produced some great scenes for us over the years, we had nothing but positive feedback from the producers and her scene partners.
We pass our respects and condolences to her mother, family and friends.
Sad news, that we’ve just heard that Black-Tgirls Model, Kewi was found un-responsive last weekend.
Originally from Detroit, she first worked with Jack Flash in Florida back in 2013, and then with Buddy Wood the following year in Los Angeles. We didn’t hear anything further from her until she reappeared later 2019 in a shoot by Kilakali, in Kansas. Kilakali became close friends with Kewi and they were planning other shoots.
Our respects and sympathies go to her friend and families.
We’ve just received information that original Black-Tgirls model China Doll was found deceased. We have no further information on cause of death but it’s not thought that anyone else was involved.
Originally photographed by Video Bob in 2003 in Florida, she also worked with Tony Vee a number of times and on FranksTgirlworld as well as other non-Grooby sites.
Her last appearance was in 2009.
Our regards and respects to her family and friends.
Such sad news. we’ve known that our model Boricua Princess was in hospital and in a coma with a covid related illness . We found out today that she passed earlier today.
Only 22 years old, vibrant and a fun model, her youth and sparklling personality can be seen in shoots that only appeared a few months ago on BlackTgirls.
“Boricua will be deeply missed. I know I will miss her beautiful smile and her beautiful personality. She was great to work with and was always open to suggestions. Gone way too soon. We didn’t talk much off set but when she came on set to do a shoot we would talk and laugh for hours often time forgetting that we both had a job to do. I will deeply miss you baby girl!!” – Kilakali
Everyone at Grooby are very saddened by this news and offer our respects, love and sympathy to her friends and family.
RIP Boricua Princess. 22 years old when she died of Covid releated illness.
A model who worked for us just the once in 2015, was killed this week in Philadelphia by a gunshot to the neck. She was in a car with a driver, who has since been arrested and charged for her murder.
The rate of black trans women being killed in the USA is atrocious and this is yet another victim.
Known as ‘Venus’, she appeared in one scene on BlackTgirls in 2015 photographed by Kilakali.
“This makes five girls I know dead in just over a month” said the producer “It’s becoming numbing at this point! It seems like every other day I wake up to some bad news”.
Sadly we received the news this morning that a former mode, ‘Ashley Stacks’ was killed in an auto accident in Lynchburg, VA on Wednesday 12th Nov. 2020.
Ashley appeared in 2013/14 on BlackTgirls.com in shoots by East Coast producer Remy, as well as in Evil Angel DVD’s produced by Jay Sin, and Damien Cain.
Our respects and condolences to her friends and family.
Just had the news that America, a model who has worked on BlackTgirls died on Xmas Eve when she was found unreponsive.
” I have known America for 11 years although we never worked together due to hit and misses with schedules, we became instant friends. What i will miss about her the most is her larger-than-life personality. R.I.P. you will be sorely missed.” – Kilakali
She made an appearance in 2008 and a further one in 2013.
We were given the sad news today, that Miss Good Bar, a model who worked for us a number of times had passed away.
We don’t have further details of her death, other than the Go Fund Me that was set up by her family. You can see that at Go Fund Me.
“When we first met during our first and unfortunately it would be our last shoot for BTG we became instant friends. We attended the TEA awards together as she was my date for the event. We always stayed in contact and would link up whenever she was in town or when I was in Atlanta which I am on my way now when I received the news on her untimely death.
“Ms. GB I am going to miss you so much. I am going to miss our conversations and your beautiful smile along with us laughing till the early morning hours.”
We don’t have much information but have been reliably informed that model and activist Akya Love from Los Angeles has passed away from natural causes.
She was Model of the Month, on BlackTgirls for August 2011, and in her 40’s at the time, the oldest model to feature in that role.
“I am going to miss not seeing Akya at the LA clubs when I go home. I would always see her with her trademark rum and coke, and that pretty smile to match her beautiful personality. The LA trans community lost a great woman she was a well-known and beloved activist. She will be greatly missed my condolences to her family.” – Kilakali, Grooby Producer
Kapri Stacks was a model appearing on Black Tgirls in 2014. We were sad to receive the news that she was found un-responsive at home, in Atlanta on Tues 4th Feb.
“This passing has me utter shock in that we just talked some days ago. Kapri was more than just a model. She was a close and dear friend. I am going to miss our conversations and the all-night joking we would do four times a week. She was so full of life and joy as you always told me that you love me I will always love you. Until we see each other again Rest In Peace.” – Kilakali.
I received sad news earlier this week that Tegan Toxik/Tegan Last, took her own life on Monday evening.
Tegan first worked with us in 2016 on Femout and I met her a few months later when she accompanied a friend to a photoshoot even for nominees prior to the 2017 TEA Awards – and I encouraged her to get her photos taken also, which she was excited about. I only met her a few times, but if I had to sum her up in one word, it would be that she was very ‘sweet’.Tegan’s work continued with us on other sites – appearing in scenes at the end of 2020.
She worked with us the Friday before her death, with producer Radius Dark, who described her as ‘one of the sweetest, nicest people I’ve met in the industry‘.
It always comes as a shock when someone so young, with so many friends and who seemed to be moving forward with her life, ends it so suddenly and tragically. I know she was well liked among the community, and many models counted her as a friend –as seen by their many tributes and celebrations of her left on social media. Tegan was a disabled veteran of the Army, having served in Afghanistan and had been living in Las Vegas in recent years, where she had many friends and was part of the trans adult community, co-creating content as well as working on her own content.
Dan Hogue, Director of Operations at Transerotica was called to Tegan’s house shortly after her death and has been instrumental along with other friends, in assisting and giving support to Tegan’s partner, Jean. “We are all hurting and are confused with this loss of a friend. There is an emptiness among many. We may never know the reason why. There is help for those that need it. Let the overall message be to seek assistance! Never be afraid to ask for help, reach out to a fellow performer or colleague. There is also anonymous resources available in Pineapple Support and other trusted folks in the industry that would always drop what they are doing and make time for you.”
All of us at Grooby, pass on our love, our respect and condolences to her partner, her family and her friends, and to the many performers who worked with Tegan. I’ll continue to remember her as that sweet, lovely girl I met sitting on the sofa, at the TEA photoshoot.
She will be missed by many.
Tegan was 35 when she died.
There is a fundraiser to cover the costs of funeral and memorial expenses for Piper as well as cover any existing debts and to allow her partner to cover her living expenses while dealing with whatever changes or moves she has to make.
It is with a heavy heart that we report the passing of trans adult performer and TEA nominee, Jacquie Blu, who passed away in her sleep this past weekend.
“Jacquie was like a burst of sunshine in our corner of the industry,” explained Grooby’s Creative and Editorial Director, Kristel Penn. “Before meeting her, your world would be exactly how you knew it. But once you did meet, you always noticed her light whenever you were in the same room. It was unmistakable. She was a long time supporter and sponsor of the TEAs, and I’m grateful for the many opportunities we had to connect throughout the years.”
“I was saddened to hear about the sudden death of Jacquie,” said Grooby owner, Steven Grooby. “She was a huge personality and character whom I’ll miss seeing at the parties and shows, which she was always present at. Although she’d only worked for relatively few studios, she was a universal content creator appearing in many scenes, with a very wide range of scene partners. Her lively personality, her exhibitionism and her passion for having fun are going to be a big loss to many.”
Blu was a performer, in addition to managing her own membership site and producing her own content with others. She was also a multi-year sponsor of the TEAs and TEA nominee.
Penn added, “I remember meeting her at our first TEA Con a few years ago. She was just starting out in the industry and was excited to meet other performers. After the event, we all hung out on the sidewalk in front of the venue and I remember seeing Jacquie bouncing around gleefully from conversation to conversation and when she got to where I was standing, she asked if she could give me a hug. She squeezed me so tight that I think she might have lifted me off the ground an inch. Then every time I’d see her at an event, she’d hug me with that same enthusiasm and joy. I will certainly miss her and that infectious energy of hers.”
