Titus Chaney, a 36-year-old Black man, was a son whose loss left his mother, Pauline Chaney, overcome with a grief she described as all-consuming. “I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, I can’t rest,” she said in the days after his death. His life ended following a violent altercation in his hometown of Selma, Alabama, in the spring of 2024.
On the evening of Friday, May 3, an argument broke out between Chaney and his ex-girlfriend, 29-year-old Taylor Thomas, at a home on the 100 block
of Alabama Avenue. According to witnesses, the dispute escalated into a physical struggle. One person reportedly stepped between the two in an effort to de-escalate the situation. During the tussle, Thomas’s purse fell to the ground, and a handgun dropped out.
Witnesses stated that Thomas then picked up the firearm and shot at both Chaney and the other individual. One witness recalled seeing her stand over Chaney and fire more shots. When Selma police officers arrived at the scene, they learned that both gunshot victims had already been transported to Vaughan Regional Medical Center by private vehicle. The second victim was treated for their injuries and released.
Chaney’s injuries were severe, and he was transferred from the hospital in Selma to another in Montgomery for more advanced care. Despite the efforts to save him, Titus Chaney died from his wounds the following day, on May 4, 2024.
The Selma Police Department quickly identified Taylor Thomas as the suspect and issued warrants for her arrest on charges of murder and first-degree assault. As police searched for her, Central Alabama CrimeStoppers offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to her capture. A few days later, Thomas turned herself in to authorities. She was taken into custody and held at the Hale County Jail without bond. As of May 2024, she was awaiting legal proceedings.
