Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

A 37-year-old Black trans woman, Tiara Love ‘Tori’ Jackson, was shot to death on Friday, September 26 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Crime

From WCNC

[The shooting] happened at the WoodSpring Suites along Deboer Avenue, which is just off West Arrowood Road, around 9:15 a.m. Medic confirmed its crews responded to the scene. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police confirmed that the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting was reported to police shortly before midnight. Responding officers arrived to find Jackson suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite swift emergency response efforts, she succumbed to her injuries at the scene.

A suspect has been identified, taken into custody, and charged with murder and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Six days before her killing, Tiara posted on Facebook asking for financial help. Sadly the algorithm did not reach very many people. Could it have helped prevent this tragedy? That thought echoes through my head as like many people, I scroll quickly through my feed. Apparently, a man she had permitted to stay in her home stole her rent money. Did that set into motion of series of events leading to her death?

Honoring Tiara

According to her socials, Tiara was originally from Saginaw, Michigan. She relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2021. In the past years, she worked in the healthcare industry at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center. Tiara attended Arthur Hill High School and Delta College.

Tiara’s feeds are filled with music, dancing, and lots of humor and satire. She was a regular participant in KiKi balls with a lot of trophies and seems to have had a large number of ballroom family both in Michigan and North Carolina. Tiara was involved with her local Black Pride events.

September 13 was her birthday and she posted this on Facebook:

going into my birthday with a lot on my mind, which I know I shouldn’t and I should be grateful to still be here another year, and i i’m but this have really been one of the hardest years of my life

I’ve read over this post many times today. It just breaks my heart and a piece of my soul that she wasn’t wrong about her year.

If you would like to help Tiara’s family with her final expenses and to transport her body from North Carolina to Michigan, one option is to make a direct donation through the Funeral Home Paradise Funeral Chapel – Saginaw (989) 754-4826.

Context

Tiara is the 19th trans person whose death has been reported in 2025. She is the 16th trans woman. She is the 15th transgender person of color on our list. She is the ninth Black trans woman, the 12th Black trans person.

Two other Black trans women with ties to Michigan were killed this year, Karmin Wells – May 25, 2025 and Tahiry ‘Tokyo’ Broom – February 9, 2025. Tahiry was from Ohio, not far from Pittsburgh. Karmin was also a 37-year-old woman active in the ballrodom community. 44 year old Amira O’Neill was killed in July 26 in Michigan, but her death only came to light in 2025.

Also this year,we reported on the killing of Ervianna ‘Baydee’ Johnsonn in Tabor City, North Carolina.

From North Carolina, we’ve memorialized these folx. In 2024, Quanesha Shantel. In 2023, KC Johnson. In 2022, Sasha Mason (44) was killed in North Carolina. From 2021, there’s Jenna Franks while both Jaida Peterson and Remy Fennell  were killed that year in Charlotte specifically. In 2020, Monica Diamond was also killed in Charlotte.

From Michigan, in 2023, Ashia Davis (34) and Jean Thomas Butchart (26) were memorialized. In 2022, Naomie Skinner (25), Ray Muscat (24) Hayden Davis (22) and Dede Ricks (33) were killed in Michigan.

I typically post one photo of those I memorialize. But this image from Tiara’s Facebook profile just knocked me over – she looks gorgeous and luminescent. As I’ve been searching through Facebook, the vicious comments about this lovely woman are horrifying. So I wanted to share another piece of her joy (I hope) and the beauty she brought to this world.

Rest in power, Tiara Love Jackson. Your humor, style, and sass will remain as part of your legacy, a gift you gave this world that did not value you. Thank you for your contributions to the ballroom community and your families.

May your memory be a revolution.

Deaths reported in 2025

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1. Tahiry ‘Tokyo’ Broom – February 9, 2025. Detroit, Michigan. Age 29.
2. Sam Nordquist – February 2025. Canandaigua, New York. Age 24.
3. Amyri Dior – February 21, 2025. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Age 23.
4. Ervianna ‘Baydee’ Johnsonn – February 19, 2025. Tabor City, North Carolina. Age 25.
5. Linda Becerra Moran – February 27, 2025. Los Angeles, California. Age 30.
6. Kaitoria ‘Kai’ Le’Cynthia Bankz – March 31, 2025. Autaugaville, Alabama. Age 31.
7. Kelsey Elem – April 24, 2025. St. Louis, Missouri. Age 25.
8. Shy’Parius Dupree – May 19, 2025. Memphis, Tennessee. Age 32.
9. Laura Schueler – June 7, 2025. Cincinnati, Ohio. Age 47.
10. Hope Lyca Youngblood – June 7, 2025, Los Angeles, California. Age 49.
11. JJ Godbey – June 19, 2025, Canton, Ohio. Age 26.
12. Rosa Martinez Machuca – August 11, 2025, Austin, Texas. Age 24.
13. Kamora Woods – June 25, 2025, Indianapolis, Indiana. Age 27.
14. Kasi Rhea – August 18, 2025, Lynchburg, Virginia. Age 31.
15. Blair Sawyer – August 11, 2025, Louisville, Kentucky. Age 27.
16. Onyx Cornish – August 19, 2025. Caldwell, Idaho. Age 18.
17. Karmin Wells – May 25, 2025. Detroit, Michigan. Age 37.
18. Aubrey Dameron – Found January 2025. Cardin, Oklahoma. Age 25.
19. Tiara Love ‘Tori’ Jackson – September 26, 2025, Charlotte, North Carolina. Age 37.

Other deaths I’ve reported during 2025

Elisa Rae Shupe – January 27, 2025. Syracuse, New York. Age 61.

Chilendrina Gracia Dominguez – January 18, 2021. Reported February 2025. Albuquerque, New Mexico. Age 42.

Amira O’Neill – July 6, 2023. Ann Arbor, Michigan. Age 44.

Jay Lee – July 8, 2022. Oxford, Mississippi. Age 20.

Ezra Hulett – June 23, 2025. Dominican Republic. Age 24.

Blair Lumpkins Crabb – January 2025. California. Age 31.