On December 28, 2016, a promising life was cut short when 25-year-old Blair Symone Sims was fatally shot in Little Rock, Arkansas. The incident, which marked the city's 42nd homicide of the year, unfolded at the Barrington Hills Apartments on Reservoir Road. Sims, a female resident of Little Rock, had gone to the apartment she shared with her girlfriend, Alexia Stephens, with the intention of ending their relationship.
An altercation ensued, during which Jerrold Howard, a 30-year-old man
from West Memphis who was also present in the apartment, became involved. According to Stephens' account to the police, she heard gunshots and then discovered Sims lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to her upper torso. Howard was reportedly seen holding a handgun before he fled the scene. Emergency services were called, and Sims was transported to UAMS Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Authorities quickly identified Jerrold Howard as the primary suspect in the shooting. A manhunt was launched for Howard, who was considered armed and dangerous and was possibly driving a blue Chrysler 200. It was discovered that Howard had a prior criminal record, including convictions for first-degree battery and simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms. His flight from justice was short-lived, as he was eventually apprehended in Illinois and faced charges for his alleged role in Blair Sims's death. Friends and family remembered Sims for her loving nature and outgoing personality. Just days before her tragic death, she had shared a message of peace on Facebook Live.
