In the quiet early morning hours of February 15, 2022, the life of 22-year-old Teirra Teshai Harris, a Black female, was tragically cut short in Bryant, Arkansas. A bright and creative young woman with a passion for cosmetology and a reputation for her beautiful smile and kind heart, Teirra was found by police at the Lakes at Hurricane Creek apartments just before 6:00 a.m., the victim of a fatal shooting. She was pronounced deceased at the scene, marking the city's first homicide of the year.
The investigation swiftly led to the arrest of her 23-year-old boyfriend, Xavier Littles. He was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Teirra's death. The promising young woman, who had attended Little Rock Central High School where she ran track and had aspirations of furthering her education in hair and makeup, had been in a relationship with Littles for nearly four years. Her family noted that she had become more distant from them during this time, a painful reality that now hung heavy in the wake of her violent death.
A profound sense of shock and injustice rippled through Teirra's family and the wider community when, less than 48 hours after being charged with her murder, Xavier Littles was released from custody on a $25,000 bond. This development left her loved ones devastated and searching for answers, feeling that the system had failed to deliver justice for Teirra. They remembered her as a hardworking and genuine person who was baptized the summer before her death and had a renewed desire to grow her relationship with God. In the face of their immense grief, her family resolved to be her voice, determined that the story of the vibrant young woman with a funny and full-of-life spirit would not be forgotten.
