On a tragic evening in Norfolk, Virginia, 49-year-old Samantha F. Ganther, a female, was killed inside her own home. The incident, which cut her life short, occurred on Sunday, June 18, 2017, in the 2700 block of Kimball Terrace. That evening, what began as a verbal dispute between two men outside her residence escalated into a fatal exchange of gunfire, with Ganther becoming an unintended victim caught in the crossfire.
The altercation involved Ronald M. Best and Ulysses Butler.
The argument grew heated, leading Butler to allegedly fire at Best, who had gone to his car. In retaliation, Best returned fire, and tragically, one of his bullets penetrated Ganther's home, striking her. When police and paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after 7:30 p.m., they found her suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite their efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Norfolk police took 41-year-old Ronald M. Best into custody without incident. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and shooting into an occupied dwelling. Ulysses Butler was also arrested and faced charges of malicious wounding, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Both men were held in the Norfolk City Jail without bond.
