On the evening of May 15, 2021, TanNiaah SharQuette Spates, a 43-year-old Black / African American female, was tragically killed in her Waterloo, Iowa, apartment. The man identified as responsible for her death was 50-year-old Tony Flowers. The incident unfolded late that Saturday at the Pineview Apartment Homes, where Flowers arrived around 11 p.m.
and fatally shot Spates.
At the time of her death, Spates had an active protective order against Flowers, with whom she shared several children. This legal measure had been put in place following a recent domestic assault charge against him. Despite this precaution, Flowers was able to approach her residence and commit the violent act. Emergency paramedics who responded to the scene pronounced Spates dead from her injuries.
Following the shooting, Flowers fled the area in his vehicle. Police had received information that he was contemplating ending his own life. Several hours later, officers located his vehicle parked in an alley across the city. As they were establishing a perimeter, they heard a single muffled gunshot from inside the car. Upon approaching, they found Flowers in the driver's seat with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation concluded that the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide. With the perpetrator deceased, no arrests were made in connection with TanNiaah Spates' death, and police were not seeking any other suspects in the case.
