Jazmine Willock, a 22-year-old female, was a vibrant individual, known for her athletic abilities, artistic talents, and a smile that could light up a room. A native of St. Croix, she had built a life in Tucson, Arizona. However, the brightness of her future was tragically extinguished on January 18, 2018, when she was found deceased in her south side home in what police would later describe as a murder-suicide.
Concern for Jazmine's well-being first arose when she uncharacteristically
failed to show up for work. Her employer, worried by her absence, contacted the authorities to request a welfare check. When officers arrived at her residence and received no answer, they made the decision to enter the home. Inside, they made a grim discovery: the bodies of Jazmine and her 27-year-old live-in boyfriend, Taris Ford-Dillard. Both had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
The ensuing investigation by the Tucson Police Department painted a grim picture of domestic turmoil. It was determined that Ford-Dillard had shot and killed Jazmine before turning the gun on himself. This was not the first instance of violence in their relationship. Ford-Dillard had a documented history of domestic abuse and a prior conviction for domestic violence assault against a former girlfriend in 2014. This conviction legally prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
Despite the law, Ford-Dillard continued to own and carry a gun throughout his three-year relationship with Jazmine. The system designed to protect victims of domestic violence had failed her. Court records indicated that just months before her death, Ford-Dillard had been arrested and charged with felonies including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping, both related to domestic violence against Jazmine. He was released on bond with the condition that he not possess any firearms and have no contact with her. Tragically, these orders were not enough to save her life, and no arrests could be made in her murder as the sole suspect was deceased.
