CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A woman shot Friday evening at the Days Inn hotel in Charlottesville, was later pronounced dead at the University of Virginia medical college, according to police.
One person was taken into custody for the shooting and charged with second-degree murder of Tatiana Wells and possession of a firearm.
Trina Murphy told CBS 6 that her 23-year-old son Xavier Murphy is in custody for the murder of his girlfriend.
Trina’s niece Alexis was murdered in 2013 by Randy Taylor. The Nelson County student was 17 years old when she was last seen alive on August 3, 2013.
“An all too familiar story in my timeline,” Murphy said in a statement released on Facebook. “A beautiful woman’s life cut short by a violent relationship. The only twist today is it’s my child on the other side of the gun. My son is the perpetrator.”
After Alexis was murdered, Trina worked closely with Help Save the Next Girl, a non-profit started by the parents of Morgan Harrington. Murphy became an outspoken advocate working to end violence against women.
Trina said that her son, who will turn 24 in early July, has a one-year-old daughter with the woman he is accused of murdering.
“My sons [sic] actions have altered the course of many lives and the impact will be everlasting,” Trina said in a statement. “I have always told my children that you must live with the consequences of your actions and nothing has changed.”
Newsplex reported that Xavier called police after the shooting.
Her full statement is below:
An all too familiar story in my timeline. A beautiful woman’s life cut short by a violent relationship. The only twist today is it’s my child on the other side of the gun. My son is the perpetrator. The very thing I advocate against has been committed by someone I once carried inside me. Tatiana Anisee’s family are facing what no one should have to, the death of a child. Auri, my beautiful granddaughter has lost her Mother and Father. My sons actions have altered the course of many lives and the impact will be everlasting. I have always told my children that you must live with the consequences of your actions and nothing has changed. I’m not that Mother that’s going to run to the courthouse and plead for mercy. You took something that you cannot replace and your fate is in GODs hands now. Young women so many times I’ve said it and I’ll say it now Love does not hit you, cuss you or disrespect you that is not love and you need to get out by any means necessary. To Tati’s family if taking my Sons life would bring your daughters back I would do it personally. Please reserve your prayers for Auri, their daughter together, his other two sons who will grow up without their Father and all the lives that have been impacted by this senseless and preventable tragedy.
