In a tragic turn of events on April 28, 2023, 40-year-old Korey Wilson, a Black / African American man, was shot and killed in his Tempe, Arizona, home. The incident, which authorities would later describe as a case of domestic violence, unfolded on a Friday afternoon, leading to the arrest of his girlfriend, Lora Flores.
The events of that day began to come to light when Flores herself dialed 911, admitting to the dispatcher that she had shot her boyfriend.
In the call, she stated, 'I just shot him and f—ing left,' before expressing that she had 'said too much already' and needed to contact her attorney. Flores also claimed to have thrown the gun out of her car window at an unknown location. Emergency services arrived at the Westchester Drive residence to find Wilson in a hallway with a gunshot wound to his upper torso. He was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries about an hour later.
Investigators tracked Flores to her brother's home in Chandler using her cell phone's location. Her sister-in-law had also contacted the police, reporting a 'domestic violence-related incident.' Upon her arrest, Flores had visible, though not fresh, injuries on her body. She alleged that Wilson had choked her on the day of the shooting. However, friends of Korey Wilson painted a different picture of the relationship, describing Flores as both physically and verbally abusive. One friend revealed a chilling conversation in which Wilson had said that if he were ever found dead, it would be because Flores had shot him. Wilson's brother later echoed these sentiments, stating that his brother had been a victim of domestic abuse and had been unhappy in the relationship.
The investigation at the scene suggested the shooting was premeditated, with shell casings found in multiple locations within the home, indicating a distance between Flores and Wilson rather than a close-quarters struggle. Lora Flores was initially charged with first-degree murder. She later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to 19 years in prison. In the wake of his death, Korey Wilson's family created a GoFundMe page to raise awareness about male victims of domestic violence.
