Dorothy Gilkey, a 63-year-old woman from Erie, PA, tragically passed away on March 24, 2018. She was the stepdaughter of Alfred Phillips, a 75-year-old man who was found dead alongside Dorothy and her 41-year-old daughter, Tanesha Harkless, in their shared apartment. The Erie County Coroner's Office ruled the deaths of Dorothy and Tanesha as homicides, while Alfred's death was ruled a suicide.
According to police reports, Dorothy Gilkey was still alive when officers arrived at the scene,
but she succumbed to her injuries after being transported to the hospital. During the trip to the hospital, Dorothy told an officer that her father had shot her. The investigation revealed that Alfred Phillips had shot both Dorothy and Tanesha before taking his own life. The motive behind the shootings remains unknown, although police mentioned that the three were known to argue.
The tragic incident was part of a spike in domestic killings in Erie County in 2018, which led to calls for a death-review panel to study the phenomenon and identify potential intervention points. The gun used in the shootings was recovered by police and sent out for testing. Detectives canvassed the neighborhood and spoke to family members as part of the investigation.
Despite the efforts to uncover the motive, the case remains a somber reminder of the devastating impact of domestic violence. Dorothy Gilkey's death, along with that of her daughter, highlights the urgent need for effective measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
