Crime

Man held in stabbing deaths of 2 women in Dorchester; victim remembered as advocate for transgender community

Marcus Chavis is led from the prisoner’s dock after his arraignment in Dorchester Municipal Court on Monday. His defense attorney, David Leon, is at left. Pat Greenhouse / The Boston Globe

By Associated Press

May 3, 2021

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DORCHESTER

2 women dead after stabbing in Dorchester home

BOSTON (AP) — A man suspected of fatally stabbing two women in a Boston apartment over the weekend was held without bail at his arraignment Monday.

Marcus Chavis, 34, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and animal cruelty in connection with an injured dog also found in the home.

Officers responding to an address in the city’s Dorchester section just after noon Sunday found the victims suffering from stab wounds, police said.

One woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The other woman was taken to the hospital where she later died, police said. They were identified as Fatima Yasin, 27, the suspect’s wife, and Jahaira DeAlto, 42.

DeAlto was an advocate for the transgender community in Boston and the Berkshires. DeAlto helped launch the first Transgender Day of Remembrance and Berkshire Pride Festival, according to a statement from Berkshire Pride on Facebook.

It is with profound sadness that we share and mourn the loss of Jahaira DeAlto. Jahaira was a loyal friend, a fierce…

Posted by Berkshire Pride on Monday, May 3, 2021

Two children ages 7 and 8 in the home were not injured but were taken to the hospital for an evaluation, police said.

Chavis called 911 and told police that he had been prescribed medication for a mental health diagnosis. His court-appointed attorney, David Leon, reserved the right to seek bail at a future date.