Tierra Nicole Underwood, a 29-year-old African American woman, tragically lost her life on November 23, 2011, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Tierra and her cousin, Benita Diane McMillan, 26, were found shot to death outside the back door of Tierra's apartment at 209 Melvin Court. The incident occurred around 9 p.m., and it was later determined to be a case of domestic violence.
The investigation revealed that Tierra's cousin, Benita, had a baby with Jermaine Lamar Johnson, a 24-year-old African American man. On the night of the incident, Johnson approached Tierra and Benita while they were outside smoking a cigarette. Without warning, he shot both women, leaving them lying outside the apartment.
Three children, aged 8, 4, and 2, were inside the apartment at the time of the shooting. Fortunately, they were not injured. After the shooting, Johnson left with his baby and went to another apartment, where he asked neighbors to call 911. He confessed to the shooting, stating, "I killed both of them".
Jermaine Lamar Johnson was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The case was classified as a domestic dispute, with reports indicating that Tierra did not want Johnson at her home after an argument the previous night. Johnson waited for the police to arrive at the scene and turned himself in without a struggle.
