When Black trans woman Taya Ashton was killed in her home in July 2021, she was 20 years old. DeAllen Price, her assailant, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder three years later and was sentenced to a 48-year prison term.
Police found Ashton with a gunshot wound inside her Suitland, Maryland, home. She was declared dead at the scene. Police arrested Price the following morning after he ran into a tunnel on Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority lines. After searching the tracks, officers found a weapon linked to Ashton’s death, and Price was charged with first- and second-degree murder.
There was “no evidence suggesting Taya’s death was due to her gender identity,” according to a preliminary statement from the Prince George’s County Police Department. However, as local CBS affiliate WUSA 9 reported, it was later discovered that Price and Ashton had a personal relationship. Sherrie Waldrup, the assistant state attorney for Prince George’s County, claimed Price shot the woman after discovering she was transgender.
Waldrup commented in remarks that were reported by local news outlet WTOP, “That was just a chilling thing to hear.” It’s absolutely horrific. It’s not acceptable. It most definitely does not serve as an excuse or justification for Taya’s death.
According to the Washington Post, Price pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence in October. On Wednesday, he received a 60-year prison sentence, with all but 48 years being suspended. If he violates the probationary terms after release, according to WUSA 9, the additional 12 years will be served.
In 2021, Ashton’s family and friends held a vigil for her and shared their memories of her. The Washington Post reported that her principal had aspirations of starting her own business. Also, she was described as having a “beautiful soul” and “a bright presence in the room” by her aunt and grandfather.
Ashton was “a daughter and a beloved friend to many,” according to Aisha Braveboy, the State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, who announced the sentence on Wednesday.
“Taya’s death was a real tragedy for her family and our community. In terms of our community’s respect for people who choose to express themselves and live their lives on their own terms, her death signifies so much more,” said Braveboy. “Anyone who decides to do so should be honored and know that their lives are just as valuable as anyone else’s.”
