On a Christmas night that should have been filled with warmth and cheer, a tragic series of events unfolded that would ultimately claim the life of 24-year-old Lanisha S. Cadore. The incident, which began on December 25, 2017, in Richmond, Virginia, stemmed from a domestic dispute that escalated into fatal violence. Cadore had gone to the apartment of an ex-girlfriend with the intention of retrieving some of her personal belongings.
She was accompanied by two friends, likely seeking support in what may have already been a tense situation.
At the apartment, located in the 2300 block of East Tremont Court, they were met with hostility. Candace B. Timberlake, who was in a relationship with Cadore's ex-girlfriend, confronted Cadore and her companions. The confrontation quickly intensified as Timberlake produced a gun. As Cadore and her friends attempted to flee the volatile scene, Timberlake discharged the weapon, striking Cadore. Despite her life-threatening injuries, Cadore's friends managed to get her into a vehicle and drive away, seeking help.
Richmond Police Department officers were dispatched at approximately 10:25 p.m. to the parking lot of a business in the 7000 block of Forest Hill Avenue, where they discovered Cadore inside the vehicle. She was immediately transported to a local hospital in critical condition. For four days, she fought for her life, but tragically succumbed to her injuries on December 29, 2017. The initial charge of aggravated assault against Timberlake was upgraded following Cadore's death.
The investigation, led by Richmond detectives, pieced together the events of that Christmas night through numerous interviews. Their findings led to Candace B. Timberlake, a 23-year-old from the 5000 block of Orcutt Lane, being identified as the person responsible for the shooting. In May 2018, Timberlake pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The legal proceedings brought to light the details of the confrontation and the subsequent shooting. In July 2018, Richmond Circuit Court Judge Gregory Rupe sentenced Timberlake to 40 years in prison, with 25 of those years suspended. This left her with an active prison sentence of 15 years for her role in the death of Lanisha Cadore.
