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Darryl Carlton Parks Jr. faces charges of first- and second-degree murder along with various weapons offenses in the Friday, March 24 killing of Tasiyah Woodland, the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office announced.
Parks was apprehended in Washington DC on Tuesday, March 28.
Siyah, whose birth name was Isiaih Alexander Woodland, was shot outside of Big Dogs Paradise in Mechanicsville around1:15 a.m.
In response, a family member of Ta’siya’s set up a GoFundMe fundraising campaign that had raised more than $5,000 as of Wednesday morning, March 29.
Woodland lost her mother early in her life, leaving her and three siblings to cope as the teen began to transition, the campaign said.
“After her and her three siblings lost their mom, someone whom she deeply resembles and looked up to, she got the courage to start living in her truth and started her transition, which her family accepted with open arms.
Following her death, officials from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office said that they’ve been in regular contact with members of Woodland’s family and the LGBTQ+ community to “address concerns of personal and public safety,” though they noted that “it does not appear that the victim was targeted due to her gender identity.”
Those interested in donating to Woodland’s GoFundMe campaign can do so here.
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