SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A trial date has been set for February of 2024 for a man accused of second-degree murder in the death of a Springfield trans woman.

Online court records show a jury trial scheduled for Feb. 12, 2024 for Charles Nelson, accused in the death of Dominique Lucious on April 8, 2021.

Lucious was referred to as Dominic and described as a transgender female in court documents. Friends and acquaintances who came to a remembrance ceremony a few days after the death said the 26-year-old went by the name Dominique.

According to a probable cause statement, law enforcement officers were called to an apartment on North Main Avenue and found a person dead. The person had noticeable gunshot wounds.

That same day, detectives interviewed someone living at the address who said Lucious stayed at the apartment overnight and in the morning said she was expecting someone to stop by the apartment.

The resident said he went back to sleep but later awoke to the sound of gunshots.

He reported seeing a man standing in the living room, noticing Lucious’s body on the couch. He told authorities he grabbed his phone and took photos of the man’s car as it drove away.

According to detectives, surveillance video gathered from a nearby business shows a car identical to the vehicle in those photos heading east on Central Street, toward Main Avenue.

During a sweep of the apartment, investigators found what family confirmed to be Lucious’ cell phone. Using the passcode, investigators located text messages between Lucious and a number later linked to Nelson.

In the series of texts between Lucious and Nelson, which began on April 8, 2021, investigators say Lucious was, “…asking how much of a controlled substance could be received for an apparent sexual act.”

Court documents say Lucious received sexual photos from Nelson. In them, authorities say a unique pair of boxers can be seen. Nelson reportedly wore those same boxers during a search after he was taken into custody.