In the early morning hours of September 26, 2025, 37-year-old Black transgender woman Tiara Love “Tori” Jackson was shot and killed at a hotel in southwest Charlotte. Her death marks another tragic moment in the ongoing violence facing the transgender community across the United States.
According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, officers were called to the WoodSpring Suites on Deboer Avenue in the Steele Creek Division around 9:20 a.m. after reports of gunfire. When they arrived, they found Jackson suffering from gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators believe a dispute between Jackson and the suspect took place before the shooting occurred.
Police later arrested 33-year-old Darris Dee Marshall, who had been treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound in a separate incident. Marshall now faces charges of murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing, but they do not believe the attack was random.
Jackson, known to friends and family as “Tori,” was originally from Saginaw, Michigan, and had moved to Charlotte in recent years. Those who knew her described her as bold, creative, and deeply expressive. She was part of the city’s ballroom scene and was known for her warmth and sense of humor. Social media tributes from loved ones show a woman who faced hardship but continued to live authentically and joyfully.
Community members have begun organizing memorials and vigils to honor her memory. A life celebration was held in Charlotte on October 3, with friends releasing balloons in her honor and raising funds to support her family. Plans are also underway for a second memorial service in Michigan.
Jackson’s death brings the number of known transgender homicide victims in 2025 to at least 19, according to advocates tracking anti-trans violence. She is believed to be the 16th trans woman and the 9th Black trans woman reported killed this year. These numbers, advocates say, reflect only a portion of the truth, as many cases go unreported or misgendered in official records.
Advocacy groups in North Carolina and beyond have renewed calls for better protections for transgender people, including more thorough investigations into anti-trans violence, improved access to safe housing, and increased awareness about the dangers faced by Black trans women in particular.
The Human Rights Campaign and local LGBTQ+ leaders have also emphasized the need for consistent respect from law enforcement and media outlets when reporting on transgender victims. Misgendering and inaccurate reporting often erase the identities of those lost, adding further pain to grieving communities.
As Charlotte mourns another life taken too soon, Jackson’s friends and supporters continue to call for justice and change. Her death serves as a painful reminder of the vulnerability that transgender women of color still face and the work that remains to build a world where they can live freely and safely.
