Transgender Activist & Suspect's Wife Killed in Front of Kids at a Home in Boston

42-year-old Jahaira DeAlto never bargained for her death when she offered to shelter Marcus Chavis of Dorchester, his wife, Fatima Yasin, and their two children on Sunday.

Yet, such was the sad fate that befell her. Just before 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Boston authorities received a 911 call from a man, claiming he stabbed his wife.

Officers arrived at the scene shortly after to find Chavis covered in blood at the front entrance of the Boston home in the Dorchester neighborhood. Inside the apartment, DeAlto lay lifeless on the floor while two fear-stricken kids were found nearby.

The kids pointed out another bedroom to the officers, where they found Yasin, also lying unconscious. Both women suffered severe stab wounds on their necks, which eventually claimed their lives.

A dog found in the same room as DeAlto also sustained a stab wound and was transported to a treatment facility. While Chavis does not deny the slayings, he claimed to only recall waking up to find both women dead, with a bloodied knife in his hands.

Aside from her works in transgender and domestic abuse advocacy, DeAlto was also a ballroom legend.

Neither of the kids involved suffered physical injuries. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office has not identified a motive for the killings.

However, medical records show Chavis suffered from PTSD and schizophrenia. Police arrested the 35-year-old suspect and he remains held without bail as per court order.

Since news of the killings broke, the residents of the Dorchester neighborhood, friends, and colleagues have openly mourned DeAlto's loss. Most remembered her for her good works, especially as an activist for the transgender community.

DeAlto worked with the Elizabeth Freeman Center, which offers emergency shelter, advocacy, and counseling to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

In a Facebook post, the center described her as a colleague, activist, and survivor. They also included an excerpt from her quote on Mother’s Day, which began:

“I am the mother who raised the children whose rainbow sparkled too brightly and blinded their birth moms. I cherished what they discarded.”

The post easily summarized DeAlto’s 42 years on earth. Through her passion, fierce vision, humanity, and drive, she touched the lives of everyone around her, the Elizabeth Freeman Center noted.

Aside from her works in transgender and domestic abuse advocacy, DeAlto was also a ballroom legend, belonging to the House of Balenciaga.

Actress Indya Moore, also affiliated with the House of Balenciaga, shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram as a tribute to the lost icon. DeAlto’s activism had made a lasting impact for years.

The transgender activist ran a YouTube channel through which she advocated for social justice and fostered inner-community conversations regarding trans women.

The Dorchester neighborhood, those she impacted in her lifetime, the House of Balenciaga, and the entire trans community would certainly miss the ballroom legend.