A teenager’s murder in Mobile last month is garnering nationwide attention, with the victims's family and civil rights groups claiming the homicide was motivated by the teen's gender identity. According to information released by family members, 17-year-old Tayy Dior Thomas was the victim of a May 7 homicide on Darwood Drive. Thomas is a transgender Black girl reportedly killed by a boyfriend who feared their relationship would become public.
In an article highlighting the case, the Human Rights Campaign stated Thomas is the nation’s 14th transgender and non-binary homicide victim in 2024 and the sixth to be killed between April and May — four of which occurred in southern states. The Mobile Police Department has arrested the victim’s boyfriend, Carl Mitchell Washington Jr., 20, of the Navco community.
He is being charged with murder and shooting into a building and is currently being held without bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 17. The Human Rights Campaign and national LGBTQ+ news outlet “them” have both highlighted the murder, criticizing both law enforcement’s reporting of the incident, the media’s coverage and the fact the case is currently not being considered a hate crime.
MPD’s preliminary alert on the incident stated that officers arrived at a residence on the 1600 block of Darwood Drive around 3:34 a.m. in response to a reported shooting.
“Upon arrival, officers discovered a vehicle resting against a residence with a male victim.