Toni Alston

Toni Alston publicly provided by facebook. Graphically enhanced for artistic purposes by author.
Preferred NameToni AlstonCityCharlotte
Other Names UsedStateNC
Age44Gender IdentityTranswoman
RaceBlackDate of Death04/03/2010
Click to See Legal Name

Tony Alston

Crime Category: Robbery | Weapon Used: Gun


On April 3rd, 2010 in Charlotte, NC, Toni Alston was shot at his front door when opening it at around 10PM. He was able to get to a neighbor’s house to call for help and provided a brief description to the police, “a black man wearing a gray T-shirt.”

Unfortunately, not much else is available from the incident. Local LGBT organizations organized efforts to educate local police on reporting of transgender-related incidents in response to original reporting. Roberta Dunn, a local transwoman, who is a member of the Mecklenburg Gay and Lesbian Political Action Committee (MeckPAC), said: “My initial reaction was that there was some sort of covering up of a transgender person being murdered, trying to call it some kind of robbery,” Dunn told qnotes. “It didn’t make sense to me. Someone doesn’t come to rob you and not take anything. It just didn’t seem right.”

LGBTQ activists argued, “Nearly two weeks after the murder, CMPD detectives and family members held a press conference. Speaking to area media, police detective Bill Ward and family members identified the victim as a “crossdresser,” used male pronouns, failed to divulge the victim’s female/chosen name and spoke of “alternative lifestyles.”

They continued, “Most importantly, police said the crime might have been a robbery. They don’t have much evidence to suggest a real motive, and also said they didn’t have evidence Alston’s gender identity played a role in the crime. Again, the LGBT community was left to wonder: What if Alston’s gender identity was a motivation in the killing? What if this was a hate crime?”

However, no evidence was discovered to indicate the incident was bias-motivated.

Location: Victim’s home, Minnesota Road, Charlotte, NC at about 10:00 p.m.

Last public update: 05/01/2010


Personal Information:

Toni Alston was born in Brooklyn, NY and moved to Charlotte, NC. Although the gender identity of Alston is not known, his family and friends used male pronouns, he is said to have dressed as a girl since he was a teenager.

Tribute Website: “Toni I will never forget how caring of a person you were. Toni was such a loving son,brother and friend!
Your forever missed S.I.P”

Toni Alston publicly provided by facebook. Graphically enhanced for artistic purposes by author.
TDOR: Toni Alston

News Timeline: 04/13/2010 | 04/22/2010 | 05/01/2010

Comer, M. (2010a, April 22). Info sought in Charlotte transgender murder – Toni Alston. QNotesCarolinas. https://qnotescarolinas.com/info-sought-in-charlotte-transgender-murder/

Comer, M. (2010b, May 1). Charlotte murder prompts community concern – Toni Alston. QNotesCarolinas. https://qnotescarolinas.com/charlotte-murder-prompts-community-concern/

Comer, M. (2010c, May 1). CMPD liaison conversations are needed – Toni Altson. QNotesCarolinas. https://qnotescarolinas.com/cmpd-liaison-conversations-are-needed/

Smith, G. A. (2010, April 3). Remembering Our Dead – Toni Alston. TDOR. https://www.tdor2.translivesmatter.info/reports/2010/04/03/toni-alston_charlotte-north-carolina-usa_1328922b

Tony (Miss Toni) Null Alston 1965 – 2010. (2010). Forever Missed. https://www.forevermissed.com/tony-miss-toni-alston/about/

WCNC Staff. (2010, April 13). Family asks for help solving crossdresser’s murder – Toni Alston. WCNC Charlotte. https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/family-asks-for-help-solving-crossdressers-murder/275-374393123

Images are publicly available through public sources, personal posts, family members and information websites as well as stills from cited videos and news websites. Images are digitally enhanced for artistic purposes. All information is accurate to the best of the author’s knowledge at time of publishing. Updates will be made as needed.