Taya Ashton was found shot to death in her apartment in Suitland, Maryland, on July 17. (Photo courtesy Stuart Anderson)
A 20-year-old transgender woman was found shot to death in her apartment in the D.C. suburb of Suitland, Maryland, on July 17 shortly before 10 p.m., according to a statement released by Prince George’s county police.
The statement identifies the victim as Taya Ashton, who lived in an apartment on the 2300 block of Brooks Drive in Suitland, where police were called to respond to a shooting.
“The victim was located inside her apartment suffering from a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead on the scene,” the police statement says.
“Detectives are working to identify a suspect(s) and determine a motive,” according to the statement. “Based on the preliminary investigation, at this time, detectives do not believe this was a random crime,” the statement continues.
“At this point in the investigation, we have uncovered no evidence suggesting Taya’s murder was due to her gender identity, but as in all cases, we explore all possibilities,” the statement says.
The statement adds, “We are asking anyone with information that could help detectives to please reach out by calling 301-516-2512. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS, go online at pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the ‘P3 Tips’ mobile app.” The statement says callers are asked to refer to Case 21-0032181.
D.C. resident Stuart Anderson, Ashton’s grandfather, told the Washington Blade that her parents and extended family members accepted Ashton’s status as a transgender woman and are devastated over the taking of her life by violence.
Anderson said he arrived at his granddaughter’s apartment after being alerted to the shooting by another family member minutes after police arrived. He said he and other family members did not observe any signs of a forced entry into the apartment, leading them to believe Ashton may have known the assailant and possibly invited the person to her home.
“We saw her. It looked like a struggle might have taken place,” Anderson said.
P.G. County police spokesperson Corp. Nicholas Clayton told the Blade July 19 that detectives were actively investigating the case and would be looking for any and all available evidence to identify the person responsible for Ashton’s murder.
He said police could not disclose details related to the condition of the body or other evidence found at the scene, including whether or not there was a forced entry into the apartment, because doing so could jeopardize the investigation.
“Today is a somber and sad day for the Transgender Community as we remember yet another life so precious taken away,” said D.C. transgender advocate Earline Budd in a statement responding to the announcement by P.G. County police that the murder had occurred.
“This murder only reminds us of the tragic shooting in 2019 of both Ashanti Carmon and Zoe Spears,” Budd said in her statement. “Both were brutally gunned down between March 30 and June 19 of 2019, less than a mile from each other.”
Budd was referring to the location in Fairmont Heights, Maryland, also in Prince George’s County near the D.C. border, where the two trans women were fatally shot. P.G. County police arrested 33-year-old Baltimore resident Gerardo Thomas later that year for the Spears murder. No arrest has been made in the case of Carmon’s murder.
“Transgender individuals are experiencing violence locally and around the country almost every day,” Budd said in her statement. “D.C. and P.G. County are only separated by a line, and we must come together as one community to address this violence.”
Budd added, “There should be no rest in the LGBTQ community when something as tragic as this happens. Our prayers go out to the family of Taya.”
Anderson said he and other family members were making arrangements for a vigil in Ashton’s honor July 21 at River Terrace Park, which is located in D.C. He said the vigil would take place at or near the site of the park’s main gazebo.
Budd said she is helping the family set up the vigil.
