An Ohio politician is urging police to treat the murder of a transgender woman as a hate crime.

Cernia Acoff, a 20-year-old known as Cici, was found half-naked stabbed, dumped in a pond tied to a concrete block and a steel pipe.

She was found 17 April, three weeks after she went missing on 27 March.

‘Cernia lived a troubled life of acceptance,’ Joe Cimperman, a Cleveland City councilman told NewsNet5.

‘While Cernia struggled, she did not deserve to die as what is likely a hate crime. Too often we lose loved ones because of fear or hate. Violence should not be tolerated against anyone regardless of race, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.

Olmsted Township police have not yet released any details about possible suspects or a motive.

Jacob Nash, Cleveland Transgender Community Outreach Committee Chair, said Acoff’s death needs to be addressed.

He said; ‘This is the third transgender woman of color murdered in April in the US alone and this needs to stop.’

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation slammed the reporting of the murder, with many outlets choosing to use male pronouns while describing Acoff.