In the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, a burst of violence shattered the quiet of a Macon, Mississippi street, ending the life of 23-year-old Breanna Alexus Franklin. A Black/African American female, she was a beloved mother, daughter, and friend, known for a smile that could illuminate any room. Her life, full of promise, was extinguished in a senseless act that has left her family and community grappling with a profound loss.
The tragic events unfolded shortly after 2 a.m.
on Pearl Street. Breanna was a passenger in a vehicle when another car pulled alongside, and a single shot was fired through the passenger side window, striking her. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The suddenness of the act sent shockwaves through the community, leaving friends and family to mourn a young woman described as sweet, loving, and full of life. A graduate with honors from Noxubee County High School, she was remembered for her bright personality and her devotion to her young son.
In the wake of the shooting, the Macon Police Department, with assistance from the Columbus Police Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, launched an intensive investigation. Their efforts quickly led to a suspect, Ciara Sharda Latham. Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute. It is alleged that Latham, the ex-girlfriend of the man driving the car Breanna was in, had been following him.
Ciara Sharda Latham was arrested and charged with aggravated domestic violence and murder. The weapon believed to have been used in the shooting was later recovered at a home in Columbus. Latham was subsequently denied bond and remains in custody. While the legal process moves forward, a family is left to navigate a future without their beloved Breanna, a life cut tragically short.
