In a quiet Catonsville, Maryland community, a tragic event unfolded, revealing a story of domestic turmoil that ended in the loss of three lives. On a Thursday afternoon, authorities were called to a home on Wilton Farm Drive for a welfare check after 42-year-old Chantel Sharieff failed to appear for work and was unresponsive to calls and texts. Her mother, Shirley Naylor, had requested the check on her daughter.
Upon entering the residence, Baltimore County police discovered a
devastating scene. Chantel Sharieff was found deceased, having suffered from apparent trauma. Her 6-year-old daughter, Kimana Sharieff, a first-grade student, was also found dead from an apparent gunshot wound. The last time Naylor saw her daughter and granddaughter, they were leaving her house, holding hands and smiling.
The investigation into the deaths quickly pointed to a double murder-suicide. The suspect was identified as Chantel's 43-year-old husband and Kimana's father, Mustafa Sharieff. He was found at the scene with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Further investigation revealed that the couple's marriage was ending. Court records show that Chantel Sharieff had filed for divorce just days before the tragic incident. In the wake of the tragedy, Chantel's family spoke out about the importance of mental health awareness and seeking help in dangerous situations, indicating that Chantel had been in the process of leaving her husband. The Office of the Chief Medical Officer is tasked with determining the official cause and manner of death for all three individuals.
