In the late hours of a Thursday night, the sounds of a domestic dispute pierced the air at the Ardendale Oaks Apartments off Lobdell Boulevard in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Inside one of the apartments, a disagreement between 33-year-old Shanta Renee Matthews and her 31-year-old boyfriend, Zachary Washington, was escalating with tragic consequences. On that night of February 1, 2018, the argument culminated in Washington shooting and killing Matthews before turning the gun on himself.
The couple's two children were present in the apartment at the time of the murder-suicide. Shanta, an African American woman, and her boyfriend had recently relocated to Baton Rouge from Natchez, Mississippi.
Shanta was a dedicated mother to her two daughters, Zamia and Zoey Washington. She was known for her community involvement, which included organizing annual Christmas giveaways and community car-and-truck shows. Matthews was the general manager at a Dollar General store in Baton Rouge. Her vibrant personality was also recognized in her role as the 2016 queen of the Krewe of Janus Mardi Gras grand ball. In the wake of the tragedy, a candlelight vigil was held to honor her memory.
The Baton Rouge Police Department investigated the incident, confirming the events as a murder-suicide stemming from a domestic dispute. The East Baton Rouge District Attorney, Hillar Moore, publicly commented on the preventability of such tragedies, urging residents to communicate with loved ones and seek help when needed. As Zachary Washington took his own life after murdering Matthews, there were no arrests made in connection with her death, and the case was closed.
