In a tragic turn of events on a Tuesday evening in Memphis, Tennessee, a young mother's life was cut short in what police determined to be a murder-suicide. Samara Ward, a 22-year-old Black female, was fatally shot on February 6, 2018. The incident unfolded in the Raleigh neighborhood of Memphis, at the Ashton Hills Apartments on Troost Drive, where police were dispatched following reports of gunfire.
Upon their arrival at approximately 8:15 p.m., officers discovered a devastating scene.
Samara Ward was found with gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the location. Family members reported the harrowing detail that she was holding her 1-year-old daughter in her arms at the moment she was attacked. The shooter was identified as 24-year-old Latravius White, the father of the child.
Investigators concluded that the incident stemmed from a domestic dispute between Ward and White. During the altercation, White shot Ward before turning the gun on himself. White was transported to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis in critical condition but later succumbed to his self-inflicted injuries. The Memphis Police Department investigated the case and, with the deaths of both individuals, the investigation was closed. There were no further suspects or arrests made in connection with this case.
Friends and family of Samara Ward remembered her as a joyful, caring, and loving person who enjoyed having fun. In the wake of her sudden and violent death, they organized a candlelight vigil in the apartment complex parking lot to honor her memory. The tragedy left a young child without her mother and father and a community mourning the loss of a young life to domestic violence.
