MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The family of Latarica Stripling recently united to remember her. Police say she was killed by her estranged husband Michael McKinnie.
Authorities had been looking for McKinnie for nearly two weeks until he was found in the Southwind area Tuesday night. He’s accused of shooting Stripling in the head in front of her 8 and 3-year-old daughters.
Court records this isn’t McKinnie’s first time behind bars.
He was arrested in 2017 for allegedly strangling his wife and threatening to kill her. But charges were eventually dropped.
According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigators, McKinnie’s criminal background dates back to the late 90’s when he was arrested for possession of a weapon.
Police documents show that in 2003 McKinnie pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years. But by 2009 he was in trouble with the law again.
A woman says she was confronted by McKinnie when she walked into a store on Highland. According to the affidavit he began calling her names, assaulting her with a stick, hitting her in her arms and legs, throwing drink cans at her and pulling her hair.
He was found guilty of assault, causing bodily harm and was sentenced to 15 days. Just two years later a man told police he got into a verbal altercation with McKinnie.
He says McKinnie left and returned to stab him with a screwdriver. McKinnie then left and returned once again. This time with a gun. Police say he fired several shots that struck another man, who was forced to spend weeks in the hospital.
He was charged with attempted first-degree murder, but he eventually pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to another five years behind bars.
