Ashanti Carmon, a 27-year-old Black transgender woman, was found shot to death in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, March 30, 2019, on the 5700 block of Jost Street in Fairmount Heights, Maryland. She had spent the previous evening with her fiancé, Phillip Williams, then went out with friends while he was at work. Carmon sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Prince George’s County Police Department took over the investigation but did not immediately identify suspects or a motive. The killing drew attention from local LGBTQ activists concerned about violence against transgender women of color; a candlelight vigil was held on the block where she was killed and friends remembered her as motivated and driven. A few months later another transgender woman and friend of Carmon, 23-year-old Zoe Spears, was murdered nearby; police said they do not believe the two killings are connected. No arrests have been made in Carmon’s case and a cash reward was offered for information leading to an arrest.

If anyone knew Ashanti, saw activity on Jost Street that night, or has information that could help investigators, please come forward.