In the early moments of a December day in Phoenix, Arizona, a tragedy began to unfold that would cut a young mother's life short. Just after midnight on December 15, 2023, 34-year-old Ebony Phelps was left at a local hospital with critical gunshot wounds. Medical staff fought to save her, but her injuries were too severe, and she was pronounced deceased.
The investigation into her death led Phoenix police to an apartment near 1700 West Missouri Avenue.
Inside, they found clear evidence of a shooting, though the residence was empty. The focus of the investigation soon turned to finding the person responsible for the violence that had ended Ebony's life. Detectives identified her 36-year-old husband, Cori Braggs, as the suspect. He was located at a different residence in the area of 19th Avenue and Glendale Avenue. After negotiations with law enforcement, Braggs was taken into custody and subsequently booked into the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office jail.
The aftermath of Ebony's death revealed a history of domestic turmoil. Her mother, Precious Brown, shared that Braggs had made prior threats to kill her daughter, casting a dark shadow over what investigators were treating as a domestic violence case. Ebony, a mother of two who had just welcomed her second child in November, was remembered by a grieving family and community. In the wake of this devastating loss, her mother has dedicated herself to raising awareness about domestic violence to prevent other families from experiencing similar heartbreak.
