On October 26, 2021, my daughter Vanessa was shot and killed by her husband. While Vanessa was at her neighborhood book club, she received a phone call from her son and daughter that their dad was drunk and they felt unsafe. Vanessa rushed home and told the kids to lock themselves in their bedrooms. Vanessa exchanged words with her husband. He said, “She cussed at me.”
He dragged her into their bedroom, locked the door and shot her seven times. My grandchildren heard the shots and called 911. They heard their mother gasping for breath. On that night, our lives were changed forever.
You hear and see reports on the news, and you never think your family will become a statistic. After over 18 months of legal wrangling, we long for justice for Vanessa and a quiet time to grieve for a wonderful mother, daughter and sister. This is a tragedy no family should ever have to endure.