Tammy Cox, a 53-year-old woman from Dayton, OH, tragically lost her life on August 10, 2016. She was one of three victims fatally shot by Muhammad Shabazz Ali, 61, at 35 Oxford Avenue. The other victims were Michael D. Cox, 25, and Jasper Taylor, 74. The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Tammy Cox died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Muhammad Shabazz Ali, also known as Robert Woodrow Ford Jr., was charged with 10 counts of murder, among other charges, for the triple slaying. He was apprehended shortly after the shooting and taken into custody. Ali had a history of criminal behavior, having served more than 20 years in prison for a 1988 voluntary manslaughter conviction.
The incident occurred after a series of arguments between Ali and Tammy Cox, which were witnessed by neighbors. On the day of the shooting, Ali was seen arguing with Cox and behaving erratically. He was taken to a mental health facility earlier that day but was released a few hours before the shooting. After the incident, Ali was found to have a handgun and was arrested as he returned to the mental health facility.
Ali later pleaded guilty to the aggravated murders of Tammy Cox, Michael Cox, and Jasper Taylor, as well as the kidnapping of Arryiss Richardson. He avoided the death penalty by entering the guilty plea.
The tragic loss of Tammy Cox and the other victims deeply affected the Dayton community, highlighting the devastating impact of gun violence and the importance of mental health support and intervention.
