Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray was shot and killed in Virginia on March 13. A 42-year-old Black trangender woman and drag performer, Sanchez-McCray’s death marks the first known trans death by violence of 2026.
Local media, which misgendered Sanchez-McCray, reported that police discovered her body early in the morning. Officers entered Sanchez-McCray’s residence when the door was found to be “unsecure” and found her having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. She died at the scene.
Known as Mabel by friends and family, Sanchez-McCray was a pillar in her community. She competed in drag pageants frequently, winning multiple titles. Sanchez-McCray worked at a LGBTQ+ bar in Charlotte, North Carolina as well as running a catering company and her own pageant company.
Sanchez-McCray took part in a boycott in protest of the bar she worked at. The community alleged that racist micro-aggressions are a regular occurrence. Sanchez-McCray, herself had reported that the bar’s owner called her the n-word in the past, according to reports that referred to Sanchez-McCray by her deadname.
Sanchez-McCray advocated for the LGBTQ+ community to address the racism that exists within it. She organized youth outreach, community events, and hosted shared events to lift up LGBTQ+ businesses.
Many have spoken out in tribute to Sanchez-McCray. Amongst them being a tribute posted on the Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents page, as well as a facebook post from RuPaul alum Kennedy Davenport, in which she says “I will certainly miss you my sister”.
Violence Against Trans People
Violence against transgender people, specifically trans women of color, is far too frequent. And the government is doing nothing to change that. Mainstream media continues to misgender and downplay the deaths of trans people.
According to a report from the Advocates for Trans Equality, in 2025, 27 trans people died from violent deaths, another 21 from suicide. A 2024 report cited that 63% of violent trans deaths were of Black trans women.
Even in death, trans people are not treated fairly. They are misgendered, and referred to by their deadnames. Sanchez-McCray’s death is tragic, and it is a horrible continuation of this injustice.
Photo courtesy of social media
