Md. UPPER MARLBORO (DC News Today) – A Prince George’s County man who is accused of killing a transgender person will spend almost 50 years in prison.
Taya Ashton, 20, was shot and killed by her lover in her Suitland home in 2021. The trans community’s advocates claim that this speaks to a larger issue: understanding and safety.
Trans community activist Karen Kendra Holmes said, “It’s very troubling to me and absolutely the society.”
Transgender person Ashton was characterized as a fun-loving individual. Her close companion DeAllen Price admitted to killing her in July 2021. On Wednesday, he received his sentence.
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Over 375 transgender people were murdered in 2021, according to statistics. District 7 County Council member Krystal Oriadha stated during a press conference on Wednesday that it was one of the deadliest decades since they began keeping track of this community’s incidents.
Price was given a 48-year sentence, according to Aisha Braveboy, spokesperson for the Prince George’s County State Attorney.
Her passing “represents so much more in terms of our community’s compassion for those who want to express themselves and live their lives on their own terms.” And Braveboy said that anyone who decides to do that should be respected and that their lives are just as important as anyone else’s.
Price eventually provided an answer to the crucial question that Ashton’s family, the community, and the prosecution had been asking: Why did he kill her?
According to Assistant State’s Attorney Sherrie Waldrup, “[He] told the court that he was involved in a close relationship with Taya and that that evening was also the first time in his life that he was aware she wasn’t born female. He then reacted and shot her.”
“That was absolutely terrifying to hear. It’s really, really horrifying. It’s not acceptable. It most certainly isn’t a defense or justification for what happened to Taya,” she continued.
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This, according to Holmes, reveals a more significant problem occurring in the transgender community: the rising number of deaths.
“That is terrifying. For any transgender people, I mean, they want to be loved. They want to be accepted for who they are, but you know that’s just not going to happen,” said Holmes.
Holmes collaborates with numerous coalitions in Prince George’s County to provide the trans community with the assistance and safe space they require.
She remarked, “There is a lot that we’re trying to accomplish, and Prince George’s County has really got its head in that.”
Holmes claims that Ashton’s passing is just one of many that have occurred across the nation and that she wants to stop it.
She said, “I’m trying to [impact] as many people as possible who simply do the same thing, helping someone else out there because once you do, that’s just going to inspire and help someone who really needs your help.”
