Rushan Tucker, a 35-year-old Black/African American woman, had her life tragically cut short on June 24, 2018, in what was determined to be a murder-suicide at the hands of her husband. On that Sunday morning in the Tacoma, Washington area, a seemingly ordinary outing marked the beginning of a devastating turn of events. Rushan's husband, 49-year-old Malcom Tucker, took their two daughters, ages 8 and 19, out for breakfast.
After the meal, he left the girls at a coffee shop, telling them he was going to get groceries and would be back for them shortly.
As time passed with no sign of their father, a sense of unease began to settle in. After about an hour, the older daughter tried to contact him. The response she received was not the reassurance she was hoping for, but rather a series of strange and cryptic text messages. The messages culminated in a chilling statement that he and their mom were "gone." Unsure of what to do, the daughter called 911 for help.
Deputies from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department responded to the call and met the two daughters. They then proceeded to the apartment Rushan had recently rented in the 8600 block of 26th Street West to conduct a welfare check. Tragically, their worst fears were realized when they entered the residence. Inside, they discovered the bodies of both Rushan and Malcom Tucker. Both had suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the head.
Investigators concluded that Malcom Tucker had shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself. Friends and officials reported that Rushan had been in the process of leaving her husband, which is believed to have been the motive for the horrific act. In the aftermath, Child Protective Services was called to care for the younger daughter, as the family did not have other relatives in the immediate area.
