JACKSON, Tenn. — A Jackson, Tennessee family wants the person they say killed a young mother behind bars and is taking their demands to the Madison County District Attorney’s Office.
About a dozen protesters with signs rallied at the State Office building in Jackson Thursday. Tarsha Harris pushed for this demonstration, hoping it will bring answers and an arrest in the shooting death of 22-year-old Tyeasha Starks.
“I’m upset because my daughter, my daughter was murdered, senseless killing,” Harris said.
It was February 20 when Tyeasha showed up at this Jackson home to pick up her 1-year-old son from his father. Harris said the father’s parents lived there at the time and things had already been tense between all of them.
“He knew the days he was supposed to be keeping my grandson. My daughter had just dropped him off that Monday morning,” Harris recalled. “He called her in an irate state stating that he was not going to be able to keep my grandson and he knew that she was in class. So she went back to get her baby.”
When Tasha got there, she reportedly came to the front door and knocked. Nadia Blockett was in the car waiting on Tyeasha when she says there was an argument.
“She told him shut the (expletive) up. She was in the yard and he was on the porch. When she said that he got mad and the door had shut,” Blockett said. “He came out and started shooting. He came up off his porch and started shooting.”
The witness admitted she handed Tyeasha a stun gun to take with her when she first got out of the car.
“For protection. Prior earlier that morning they were already calling her and threatening her,” Blockett said.
She said the young mother never pulled the stun gun. But the shooter didn’t stop.
“She had fell and he still was shooting,” Blockett said.
Tyeasha was hit but was able to make it back to the car with her friends and attempted to drive off.
“After we had drove off, we had like ran into a mailbox. That’s when she was like I can’t,” Blockett said.
Tyeasha died a few doors down.
“For them to have a gun, I feel like that was all planned. They did not have to do this to my daughter. She had her whole future ahead of her,” Harris said.
But the person who fired the shots and who still hasn’t been officially identified by officers has not been charged.
“We just want some answers. It’s been two months and we still haven’t heard anything. They haven’t called and let us know how the investigation is going,” said Tyeasha’s father Phillips Starks.
WREG contacted the Madison County Sheriff’s Office about the case. They sent us a press release saying, “The disturbance escalated and witnesses corroborated that Ms. Starks arrived with a stun gun and was actively arching the device when she was shot.”
They told us all the information has been turned over to the district attorney’s office, and any comment would have to come from them. We contacted Madison County District Attorney Jody Pickens, who said no decision has been made on charges
It’s why protestors showed up at the D.A.’s office Thursday, but never got any further than the lobby. Even protesters from Memphis are joining in their cry for justice
“This man had time enough to go and cool off. And he murdered a young black mother in cold blood,” said community activist Karen Spencer McGee.
They also marched to the county mayor’s office and were stopped at the entrance. But they did get the ear of Jackson City Mayor Scott Conger.
“I have no authority over the D.A.’s office or sheriff’s department, but I can ask questions. That’s what I am gonna do,” Conger said.
They said they finally got to talk with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, who promised to meet with the family next week.
“For this District Attorney, even the Mayor, we want answers. And whoever we need to be held accountable, we are gonna do that,” said community activist Casio Montez.
We contacted the Madison County District Attorney’s Office again Thursday. They said there are no new updates and this case is still under investigation.
Tyeasha Stark’s family is also upset they have not been able to see her young son, who is still with the father’s family. They have apparently moved away since the shooting.
