Tiffani Briana Starkey, a 34-year-old resident of Cape Coral, Florida, passed away on March 20, 2024, under tragic circumstances. She was murdered by her longtime boyfriend and the father of her two young children, D'angelo Gilliam, during an exchange of their children in the front yard of her parents' house in the 1700 block of SE 12th Street.
The incident occurred in the presence of their two children, Tyli (1 year old) and Tori (3 years old), who were subsequently left to grow up without their parents. After shooting Tiffani, Gilliam drove off with the children but later dropped them off to nearby firefighters a few blocks away. Despite efforts by officers to talk him down, Gilliam shot himself, and his car rolled into a canal. An officer attempted to save him but was unsuccessful.
Tiffani Starkey was a prominent figure in her community, known for her work as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst. She was the co-president of the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis (coFABA) and the owner of Tiph Positive Support, a behavior therapy company. She was also an advocate, mentor, and trainer, working closely with families and children in need of support for challenging behaviors.
D'angelo Gilliam, the perpetrator, was an Afghanistan Army veteran who had previously been married and had two other children with his ex-wife, Mercedes Gilliam. His ex-wife described him as a good father but acknowledged that he had mental health issues stemming from his time in Afghanistan. The incident has raised questions about the role of mental health in the violence that occurred.
Tiffani's family, including her parents Roger and Patricia Starkey, who now have custody of the children, and her siblings, are grieving her loss. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by her sister, Sarai Starkey, to support Tiffani's family and continue her community services and vision.
