On a Wednesday morning, September 16, 2015, the body of 25-year-old Juanita Gilmore, a Black female, was discovered in the Hollywood Cemetery in South Memphis, Tennessee, by an individual visiting a grave. An investigation revealed that she had sustained multiple stab wounds. At the time of her death, Gilmore had a history of arrests related to prostitution.
Her death drew comparisons to a string of unsolved murders that occurred in the same area in 2011, which also targeted women with
histories of sex work. In early 2011, four other women were killed within a month, with two of them being found in the nearby Mt. Carmel Cemetery. However, a key difference noted by homicide detectives was the cause of death; the 2011 victims were all shot, while Gilmore was stabbed.
This distinction in the method of killing led investigators to surmise that Gilmore's murder was likely more personal in nature and that she was probably killed by someone she knew. Despite these suspicions and an intense investigation into her death, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Juanita Gilmore. Her case, like the slayings of the women in 2011, remains unsolved, contributing to ongoing concerns about violence against vulnerable individuals in the community.
