Anitra West, a 48-year-old female employee at a Church's Chicken in Memphis, Tennessee, was fatally shot on the evening of July 8, 2024, following a dispute with a customer. The incident began when a woman in a teal-colored compact SUV, later identified as Monica Williams, argued with West at the drive-thru window over payment for her food. Following the argument, Williams drove off.
Upset by the confrontation, West stepped outside for some fresh air while on the phone with a friend. Her friend later told investigators that she heard West say the same woman she had argued with, who had purple hair, had returned to the parking lot. The friend then heard West yell, 'Just go to jail then h**,' followed by a single gunshot before the line went silent. A coworker inside the restaurant also heard a gunshot and saw a vehicle speed through the parking lot. The coworker went outside and found West on the ground with a gunshot wound to the head. West was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Memphis Police quickly identified Monica Williams as the suspect. She was arrested on July 15, 2024. A Shelby County Grand Jury later indicted Williams on charges of first-degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. She is currently being held in the Shelby County Jail without bond. While the initial dispute appeared to be over a food order, West's ex-husband expressed his belief that the motive was something more personal, stating that he didn't believe she was killed over something as trivial as food.
