MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis woman says she lost her mother, big sister, and 13-year-old niece at the hands of another relative Saturday night.
Selise Manuel found her mother, Ruby Manuel, shot to death inside their home on Warrington Drive and said her uncle, Mavis Christian Jr., 52, was responsible.
Selise said before coming to her house, he gunned down her sister, Lateisha Bobo, and Lateisha’s daughter, Tori, outside their home in the 3600 block of Field Lark Drive. Her 15-year-old niece Taylor was able to run away but was shot several times.
“She is doing okay. She’s up, alert, talking, joking,” said Selise. “Emotionally, she’s sad. She lost her sister, her mother, and her grandmother all in some hours.”
Selise said she believes the shooting was over her late grandmother’s house on Field Lark.
“We didn’t want him staying there because he was a man, and he thought a man was staying there,” she said. “He threatened my mother a few times before and my sister a few times, but we didn’t think much of it even though we should have because he went to jail for attempted murder.”
Christian also shot and killed a woman in the 100 block of Howard Drive before taking his own life.
Relatives of that victim were at the house Sunday but understandably didn’t want to talk about what happened.
Police have not identified the victim, but five years ago, officers were called to the same home on Howard after Christian beat his estranged wife with a bat.
At 3:31 a.m. Sunday, Christian was located inside a Chevy Malibu on Alta Road. Investigators said he had what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Selise said her focus now is on her niece, who is being treated at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. She knows it will be a long road to recovery for both of them.
“I’m doing okay. I’m doing as well as I can be doing,” Selise said.
Local, state, and Federal agencies were all searching for Christian before he was found dead.