Jax Gratton, a 34-year-old hairstylist from Denver who went missing in April, has been found dead, according to her mother. Jax was last seen leaving her apartment on April 15.
Her mother, Cherilynne Gratton-Camis, announced the tragic news in a Facebook post on Saturday, June 7.
“With a broken heart, I share the news that our beloved Jax Gratton has been found — and she is no longer with us. There are no words strong enough for the grief we are feeling. The light she carried, the love she gave so freely, and the joy she brought into our lives have been taken from this world far too soon.”
“You have brought so much light into our lives during the darkest time. Your words, your support, your strength — they’ve helped keep us going. You’ve reminded us that we can’t give up, and we won’t, not until she was found. Now, we grieve together.”I will never forget your kindness.”
“This has opened my eyes in ways I can’t ignore. It’s not just about Jax — it’s about all of you in the LGBTQIA+ community who face the world every day with courage, just wanting to live, love, and exist safely and equally. That should never be a fight. And yet it is.”
“Jax Gratton was a light — I know that. She lit up so many lives just by being herself. Unapologetically. Fiercely. Fully. I see her in every act of love and strength you’ve shown, and I wish peace, love, and protection for all of you.”
“I hope for a world that’s safer — for me, for my children, and for all of us who are connected by care and compassion.Please remember: you are not alone. If you need help, speak up. It is never too late.”
Gratton-Camis had been actively searching for her daughter, Jax Gratton, 34, since she was last seen leaving her Denver apartment on Tuesday, April 15. Friends and family told ABC affiliate KMGH-TV that Jax left around 10 p.m., telling her roommate she would be gone for about three hours — but she never returned.
Gratton-Camis, who lives out of state, last spoke to Jax on Friday, April 11, when Jax called to get her 19-year-old sister Monroe’s college address to send her hair products. When Jax didn’t follow up as promised, Gratton-Camis grew worried. On Easter morning, she called and left a voicemail, followed by a FaceTime and text message later that day.
“I didn’t sleep that night,” Gratton-Camis previously told People. She woke up early the next morning and learned that Pope Francis had died. When she still hadn’t heard from Jax — who deeply admired the pope — she sensed something was wrong. A friend of Jax’s also became concerned and called Gratton-Camis.
Panicked, Gratton-Camis began calling Colorado hospitals and jails, but days later, she still had no answers. At first, she believed Jax’s roommate had already filed a missing persons report, since they were the last to see Jax leave the apartment. Although the roommate contacted police, no report had been filed. Gratton-Camis quickly submitted one herself, and by Wednesday, April 24 — more than a week after Jax was last seen — she was officially listed as missing.
Gratton-Camis said it was unlike Jax to suddenly cut off contact with her or Monroe. Though Jax had faced struggles — including three stints in rehab for drug and alcohol issues, and being kicked out of one facility because she’s transgender, according to her mom — she had been doing well before her disappearance. Also, per People, she said that her daughter had a history of abusive relationships.
“She operated a successful business,” says Gratton-Camis. “She has friends that she has been friends with since middle school.”
