On September 7, 2023, at approximately 2:45 a.m., 34-year-old Sherniqua Danielle "Danny B" Banks was fatally shot while driving her SUV in northwest Houston, Texas. The incident occurred in the 2800 block of West Gulf Bank Road near West Montgomery Road. Banks was accompanied by her 3-year-old son, who was in the backseat and unharmed, and a 41-year-old male passenger who sustained gunshot wounds and was transported to a hospital for surgery.
According to witness accounts, a silver Ford Taurus approached Banks' vehicle, and the driver, later identified as 30-year-old Dominique Menefee, fired multiple shots into her SUV. Menefee reportedly believed he was being followed, leading to the shooting. After the attack, Menefee's vehicle suffered a tire blowout upon hitting a curb, prompting him to flee the scene on foot, leaving behind two passengers who were detained and questioned by police before being released.
Menefee, who was out on bond at the time of the shooting, was apprehended more than two months later by the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force. He has been charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with Banks' death. Court documents indicate that Menefee was previously on parole for aggravated robbery and had been released on a personal recognizance bond for a felony drug possession charge shortly before the shooting.
Sherniqua Banks was a well-respected entrepreneur in Houston, known for her successful ventures, including a tax and accounting firm, a hair salon, a business consultancy, and a popular food truck, D Southern Bistro. She was a devoted mother to her son, Kruz Raymond Keyes, and was cherished by her family and community for her generosity and determination.
The tragic loss of Sherniqua has deeply affected her family, friends, and the broader community. Her mother, Lisa Callaway, expressed mixed emotions upon learning of Menefee's arrest, emphasizing that while it does not bring her daughter back, she hopes justice will be served. The case underscores concerns about the judicial system, particularly regarding the release of individuals on bond who may pose a threat to public safety.
