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Zella Ziona

Case from Montgomery-village, MD dated Oct 15, 2015

Victim Details

Zella Ziona

Female

Black / African American

Montgomery-village

MD

2015-10-15

21

Zella

Ziona

07/08/2026

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Update Trans women Zella Ziona, 21 Mistrial Declared After ...
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Case Description

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On an October evening in 2015, Zella Ziona, a 21-year-old transgender woman, was fatally shot in an alley behind a shopping center in Montgomery Village, Maryland. The brazen act, which authorities would later describe as an 'execution,' cut short a young life and began a years-long journey for justice. Ziona, who had been known as Deandre Smith before her transition, had a vibrant spirit and an infectious smile, according to her family. On the day of her death, she had planned to lay flowers on ...
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Links to Additional Sources (13)

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  • Them: Five Years After Murder of Black Trans Woman, Killer Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison
  • Washington Post: ‘They just shot my son!’ Mother’s eyewitness account key in transgender murder conviction
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    Forum Posts (2)

    Has anyone else been following the details about Zella Ziona's case? I’ve been thinking about how ... ...Read More
    09/02/2023
    I've been following Zella Ziona's case and can't stop thinking about the role her mother played on t... ...Read More
    02/15/2023
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