The Murder of Tavia Sills
I received quite a few recommendations to cover this case, so here it is. For this case, I watched an episode of Murder Chose Me. It’s season 1 episode 1, titled ‘Something in the Water.’
Background
Tavia Sills was just 18-years-old, and five months pregnant when she died. She was excited for college, and was about to attend Southern University, and wanted to become a nurse.
She was described was a very responsible person. She always had a smile on her face, and had a very caring nature.
Tavia Sills
A Shocking Discovery
On September 12, 2008, a young couple was out fishing at a remote pond in Shreveport, Louisiana.
They saw something in the water, and went closer to see what it was. The wife then said she believed it was a body. The police were called immediately.
The police were aware that a young, pregnant teenage girl had been reported missing, and believed it was most likely her. The body was lying face down, and badly decomposed. The body had obviously been in the water for some time.
Once the body was flipped over, it was apparent that she was pregnant. Detective Demrey knew that it was Tavia Sills. Tavia had been shot three times. She was wearing the clothes that she was reported missing in, down to the black Reebok sneakers.
The police searched the area for shell casings or a murder weapon. However, it was really hard to find anything in the wet and muddy area, covered in tall grass. The police did find one item though, it was a stick tied to a fishing rod, that would come up later on in the investigation.
The Investigation
The police had to notify Tavia’s family that they had found her body. Her mom, Vickie Britton, said she didn’t want to believe it was actually her daughter that was found.
Detective Demrey asked her family about Tavia. They said that Tavia was very responsible. Even when she told them that she was pregnant, they rallied behind her. She still wanted to attend school, and was so excited to also become a mom.
Tavia’s family talked about the father of her baby Lamondre Tucker. Lamondre was described as good looking and athletic. He was a very good football player, and had many colleges looking at him.
Vickie said that Lamondre had seen Tavia on the day she disappeared. He had picked her up, and they went over to his sister’s home. When Tavia didn’t come home for several hours, they reported her missing.
Vickie said she didn’t know of anyone who’d want to hurt Tavia, but she did tell Det. Demrey about an incident that occurred about three months before Tavia died.
The Incident
Vickie explained that Tavia had been out with Lamondre, when they were carjacked by two unknown males.
Tavia had told Vickie that the men beat Lamondre, kicked her in the stomach, and took turns sexually assaulting her.
Vickie wanted Tavia to report this to the police, but Tavia said no. She feared that these men would come back, and retaliate against her.
Detective Demrey never believed that the incidents weren’t related.
The Autopsy
Tavia’s autopsy revealed that she was shot three times. Two of the shots were superficial. The third shot, which was the fatal shot, had gone through her body, hit her rib, and collapsed her lung. She had been killed by a .40 caliber gun.
The levitate of Tavia’s body also proved that Tavia was shot at the pond.
Something is Off
Four days after Tavia’s murder, Det. Demrey went to speak to Lamondre.
He described him as cooperative and polite. Lamondre appeared emotional about Tavia, but he told Det. Demrey that they weren’t exclusive. He admitted that he had another girlfriend, and that they had a 2-year-old child together.
Det. Demrey asked Lamondre if he was excited to be a father again, and he said yes. He was then asked about the incident from a few months ago. Lamondre said that they had gone to the park to talk about the baby, when they were carjacked, blindfolded, and beat up. He said he could hear Tavia screaming.
Lamondre was asked where he took Tavia after they went to his sister’s house. Lamondre said that Tavia had asked him to take her to her sister’s apartment. Det. Demrey already knew that Tavia’s sister hadn’t seen her that night.
Lamondre said he dropped Tavia off by the mailboxes, and that his friend Charles could verify that. He had seen Lamondre drop her off. Det. Demrey asked Lamondre if he actually saw her go inside the complex, and he said no.
Det. Demrey knew that Lamondre was lying, but didn’t know why.
A Motive
Det. Demrey knew that he wasn’t going to find anything on the surveillance footage from the apartment complex to prove that Tavia had been dropped off. He was right. He obtained the footage, and there was no sign of either Lamondre or Tavia.
The police went to speak to Charles. Charles said he hadn’t seen Lamondre drop Tavia off that night. He did however, reveal that Lamondre had asked him to say that he did see him drop Tavia off near the mailboxes.
Charles was spilling all the tea that day. He told Det. Demrey that Lamondre was in love with his other girlfriend, but that she had broken up with him when she found out that Tavia was pregnant.
This made Lamondre pissed off, and he spoke openly about wanting Tavia to lose the baby. This was just confirmation to Det. Demrey, that Lamondre had been the one to set up the attack from a few months earlier.
Lies After Lies
On September 13, 2008, Lamondre was taken down to the police station for another interview.
Det. Demrey asked Lamondre why he wasn’t on the surveillance footage from the apartment complex. Lamondre went on and on about how he had dropped her off that night.
The conversation then switched to his other girlfriend, which caused Lamondre to “cry.” Lamondre said he, Tavia, and his friend Marcus Taylor went to the pond that night.
Lamondre said Marcus supplied him with the gun that was put into a tackle box. At first, he said the gun went off accidentally. Then, he said only shot her once.
It wasn’t until Det. Demrey told him that he knew how many times Tavia was shot, that he confessed to shooting her three times. He was asked where the gun was, and he responded “it’s like across the pond.”
The Evidence Against Lamondre
A dive team searched the pond for the gun. A .40 caliber gun was recovered.
Det. Demrey called the city maintenance department, and asked them to cut the grass. They eventually agreed. Once the grass was cut, more shell casings were found.
Marcus Taylor was contacted to come down to the station. Det. Demrey took the fishing rod out of evidence, and placed it into the room. He said as soon as Marcus saw it, he looked deflated.
Marcus admitted that he gave Lamondre the gun. Lamondre had been talking about wanting Tavia, and their unborn child dead for quite awhile.
Marcus said he pretended to fish, but he didn’t have bait, so he tied a stick to his fishing pole. Marcus gave Lamondre a sign, and he grabbed the gun. Marcus said he heard the shots. Tavia made her way into the lake, where she was shot a final time.
Marcus and Lamondre were both arrested.
The Convictions
Lamondre Tucker went on trial, and was convicted for first degree murder. He was sentenced to death in June 2011.
Lamondre Tucker
It was revealed at trial, through DNA, that the baby was not actually Lamondre’s.
Marcus Taylor was convicted of manslaughter, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Marcus Taylor
Lamondre’s mother Alicia Tucker was charged with improper contact with a jury. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison. There was a three way phone call between her, Lamondre and a juror. She had pointed out that all jurors had to be in agreement to give Lamondre a death sentence.
Alicia Tucker
Other
There was no official police report filed on Tavia’s attack and sexual assault. The men involved were not prosecuted.
Lamondre’s appeal has been denied by the Supreme Court.
FINAL THOUGHTS
My heart breaks for Tavia’s family. They not only lose a daughter, sister, etc., but they also lost a grandchild, niece or nephew. Tavia was so excited to become a mother, and to go to college. She will never have the chance to do those things.
Tavia fell in love with a monster. I can’t even imagine all the lies he told her about how excited he was for their child to be born. While all along, he was plotting for her to lose the baby, and eventually to kill her. Marcus deserves those 30 years for going along with it.
Sources
https://www.imdb.com/news/ni62007409
https://www.ksla.com/story/14999818/death-sentence-for-convict-in-tavia-sills-murder/
https://www.ksla.com/story/23749802/video-evidence-marcus-taylor-describes-tavia-sills-murder/
https://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Tucker-cert.-pet.1.25.pdf
