‘She left the woman to die’: Woman fatally shot community activist in the face and neck after argument about money
Background: Surveillance footage captures the confrontation between the defendant and the victim in Memphis, Tenn., on Aug. 13, 2022 (WMC/YouTube). Inset left: Tifanee Wright (Shelby County Sheriff’s Office). Inset right: Yvonne Nelson (WMC/YouTube).
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A woman will spend decades behind bars for fatally shooting a beloved community activist in Tennessee after an argument about money.
Tifanee Wright, 37, was sentenced this week to 25 years in prison “at 100 percent” after being convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 60-year-old Yvonne Nelson, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office announced. “Wright claimed she acted in self-defense, but jurors rejected that defense and found her guilty,” the prosecutorial agency added.
On the night of Aug. 13, 2022, Wright and Nelson were at a strip mall near the intersection of Yale Road and Covington Pike in Memphis, Tennessee. Surveillance footage obtained by area NBC affiliate WMC showed the two women interacting before they walked out of frame.
They were apparently arguing about money before Wright pulled out a gun and shot the older woman in the face and neck. Multiple calls to 911 were made, with someone reportedly saying “the suspect fled the scene in a newer model black Infiniti sedan.”
During Wright’s trial, though her defense team argued she acted in self-defense, the judge noted that surveillance footage appeared to show her lacking any sense of empathy after the shooting. “She left the woman to die like she was worthless,” the judge said, per the local TV station.
Nelson was well-known as a community activist fighting for cleaner streets, reduced crime, and fair elections in the area. When Wright was sentenced on Monday, Nelson’s daughter shared that her mother’s death has had a “profound impact” on her family.
“During the hearing, her daughter presented a plaque recognizing Dr. Nelson’s work as a community advocate and described her as a brilliant, spiritual, and larger-than-life presence whose loss continues to be felt by family and friends,” according to the DA’s office.
Wright’s mother testified on her daughter’s behalf and apologized to Nelson’s family. The mother also said she wished she could take the sentence in her daughter’s place.
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The post ‘She left the woman to die’: Woman fatally shot community activist in the face and neck after argument about money first appeared on Law & Crime.
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