Laura Schueler was discovered shot to death just feet from her home on June 6, 2025.
On Tuesday, her killer, a 19-year-old man, accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced to prison.
Ajani Grimes was out on bond for an armed robbery committed months before her murder. He was also at large after severing an ankle monitor. Detectives tied Grimes to Schueler’s murder after discovering shell casings at the crime site.
The morning following her murder, Schueler’s body was discovered on Jonathan Avenue in Evanston. Schueler was proud of who she was. She did not disguise her transsexual identity and was a leader in the LGBTQ+ community. Her family, friends, and peers held her in high regard. “Laura will be remembered by everyone who knew her,” said Schueler’s cousin, Geno Griffith.
During Tuesday’s hearing, prosecutors described the night Grimes and Schueler met. The assistant prosecutor stated, “Grimes invited her into his car and drove away.”
Prosecutors do not know what transpired inside the automobile but claim Schueler exited and ran. “Mr. Grimes got out of the car, pulled a weapon, shot her in the back of the head, and left her for dead on the side of the road,” the assistant prosecutor explained.
Grimes was arrested one month later and charged with her murder. Prosecutors claim obtaining a plea deal was a difficult decision involving her family. The assistant prosecutor stated, “What he did was heinous and completely gratuitous.”
Schueler’s grandma expressed to the judge that her loss was painful. “I prayed last night for justice for this young man who has ruined his life,” she stated. Many people knew Laura for her advocacy in the LGBTQIA+ community, but those of us who loved her knew she was much more than that,” Griffith said. “Laura was kind. She was giving. She was caring. She utilized her voice not only for herself, but also for those who frequently felt invisible, unheard, and unsupported. She was the one who showed up. She stood up for her family, her friends, our community, and others that needed someone to support them.”
Schueler’s best friend addressed Grimes directly: “Whatever you do behind closed doors will be exposed, so killing her in the hope that it would prevent people from knowing you as men or transsexuals—it’s out there; we know who you are,” said Martez Meadows. “The last thing I want to say is I hope you rot in hell.”
When given the opportunity, Grimes did not say anything. The judge condemned him to 25-29 years in prison. Grimes admitted to a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter in Schueler’s death. The sentence also includes imprisonment for further counts, such as aggravated robbery in October 2024.
Schueler’s husband told Local 12 that Grimes’ punishment was insufficient. He was too distraught to talk on camera.
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