Many people referred to Taya Ashton as “a daughter and a beloved friend.”
A 29-year-old man who killed a transgender girl in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in 2021 has been given a sentence of 48 years in prison.
Taya Ashton was fatally shot by DeAllen Price on July 17, 2021, in her house in Suitland, Maryland, after he learned of her transgender identity, according to prosecutors.
In October 2023, Price of Capitol Heights, Maryland, admitted guilt to second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of an act of violence.
Ashton, who was only 20 when she was killed, was described as “a daughter and a beloved friend to many” by county state’s attorney Aisha Braveboy.
“Taya’s passing was a true tragedy for both her family and our community. Her death represents so much more, in terms of our level of tolerance in our society for people who want to express themselves and live their lives on their own terms,” Braveboy said when announcing the sentence against Price on January 24. “Everyone who decides to do that should be respected and [know] that their lives are just as valuable as anyone else’s.”
Price’s attorney at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender has been contacted by PinkNews for comment.
At least 32 trans and non-binary individuals were fatally shot or killed using other violent methods last year, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Additionally, 54% of those victims were Black trans women, and 84% were people of color.
Violence disproportionately affects transgender people despite “touching the whole community,” according to Renee Lau, director for Baltimore Safe Haven, a non-profit wellness center for Black trans ladies and LGBTQ+ group members.
“Because we are such a small group, the death, suicide, and overdose deaths in our community all reach higher rates,” Lau said.
“Taya was only at the start of her life, and she deserved to live it to the fullest,” said Lindsey Clark, HRC Associate Director of the Transgender Justice Initiative, who passed away tragically. “This crime is unacceptable because Black transgender people are still being killed in this nation.”
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