WREG.com

Woman indicted after grandmother killed in South Memphis shooting

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A West Memphis, Arkansas woman was indicted Wednesday after police say she shot and killed a 64-year-old woman in South Memphis, according to Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

Police said the shooting happened this year on July 24 around 1 a.m. at Cleaborn Pointe at Heritage Landing apartments on Lauderdale Street.


Witnesses told police that 24-year-old Shakenya Poney approached a group of women in her vehicle and began firing shots, striking 64-year-old Clara Wismon in her chest. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Poney fired at three others as well, police said.

According to the district attorney, the incident stemmed from an online altercation between Poney’s sister and a 13-year-old girl, who was the victim’s granddaughter.

WREG spoke with Wismon’s daughter Marvalisha Cox.

“I don’t know what (the dispute) was about,” Cox said. “You know how little girls nit pick and that was it. It wasn’t worth my mom’s life though, anyone’s life.

Poney was arrested two days later. She now faces serious prison time.

Nearly five months later, Cox is still in pain.

“I’m hoping she gets the maximum. She deserves it,” she said. “She took more than my mom. That was my friend and a grandmother.”

A grand jury indicted Poney on one count of second-degree murder and three counts of attempted second-degree murder on Wednesday.

She currently out on a $350,000 bond.

WREG went to the address listed for her in the court system, but we were told she doesn’t live there anymore.