In the quiet town of Gaffney, South Carolina, the life of 30-year-old Sametra Achelle Dawkins was tragically cut short on November 9, 2017. A mother and a beloved member of her community, Dawkins was found deceased in her vehicle outside a residence on Overbrook Drive, the victim of a fatal gunshot wound. The Cherokee County Coroner's Office confirmed she had been shot in the face, sending a shockwave of grief and fear through the neighborhood.
The investigation into her death quickly
pointed to a suspect: her ex-boyfriend, Shecky Tate. Gaffney Police identified Tate as the individual they believed was responsible for Dawkins' murder. As law enforcement officials closed in, they obtained a warrant for his arrest and tracked him to a home on Hetty Hill Street in Gaffney.
On a Tuesday in early January 2018, officers surrounded the residence with the intention of taking Tate into custody. As they attempted to serve the warrant, Tate tried to flee through a basement door. Upon seeing the officers, he retreated back inside the house. Shortly after, a single gunshot was heard from within the home. When officers entered, they found Tate on the floor with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
The death of the primary suspect brought a sudden and unexpected end to the homicide investigation. With Shecky Tate's suicide, the legal pursuit of justice for the murder of Sametra Dawkins concluded, leaving her family and friends to mourn her loss without the closure of a trial or conviction.
