On June 27, 2023, 29-year-old Laurielle Faulk was found deceased in her Houston apartment, located at 7625 Hammerly Boulevard. Responding officers discovered her on the living room couch, covered with a green blanket, having suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Tragically, her 7-year-old daughter was present in the apartment at the time of the incident.
Initial investigations led to the arrest of 25-year-old Lakiri Leeonna Tolliver.
Authorities allege that Tolliver, a friend of Faulk, shot her after discovering what she perceived as flirtatious messages between Faulk and her boyfriend. Surveillance footage reportedly shows Tolliver accessing Faulk's phone while she slept, followed by the sound of a gunshot. After the shooting, Tolliver is accused of instructing Faulk's daughter to remain in her room and covering Faulk's body with a blanket. She then allegedly removed items from the apartment, including designer bags, and delayed contacting emergency services for several hours.
Tolliver was initially charged with tampering with evidence and burglary after allegedly removing Faulk's cell phone and other belongings from the scene. Subsequent investigations led to her being charged with murder. She was taken into custody on July 14, 2023, and remains held without bond. Court records indicate that Tolliver provided multiple conflicting accounts of the events, including attempts to implicate others, which were contradicted by video evidence and witness testimonies.
The case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of Faulk's young daughter, who was left alone with her mother's body for several hours. The Houston Police Department continues to urge anyone with additional information to come forward as the investigation proceeds.
