Woman Charged With Robbing Slain Memphis Cop Who Spoke Out Against Cops In Tyre Nichols Case
Law enforcement officers in Memphis have arrested a woman in connection with the death of former police who openly criticized the killing of Tyre Nichols, local station WATN reports.
On Sunday (July 9) Sgt. Mark LeSure, a military veteran who served 24 years in the Memphis Public Department was found dead outside of his home.
Theresa Carlson, a Memphis Police Department spokesperson confirmed that a positive identification of LeSure was made on Tuesday (July 11) afternoon in an email statement, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
A cause of death was not disclosed.
“He was in the driveway when we got here lying face down,” said Rose LeSure-Jones, LeSure’s aunt. “Whatever it was he didn’t deserve this, he really didn’t he was a good guy. one of the good guys really.”
Days after LeSure was found dead, a woman was captured on surveillance video stealing from Lesure while he was lying unresponsive in his driveway, has been arrested. It is not clear, however, if she had anything to do with his death.
The MPD arrested and charged Shuntae Daniels with aggravated burglary, two counts of theft of property of $1,000 to $2,500 and theft of identity. She is currently in the Shelby County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
Per the affidavit, Daniels is seen arriving with LeSure at his home, but soon after, he collapsed in his driveway.
Shortly thereafter, the video shows Daniels running into LeSure's home with one phone in her hand, but then she leaves the house the home with another phone, the affidavit states
In the video, Daniels is heard saying, "We are going to see who knows the law,” according to the affidavit.
Around the same time, a 911 call was made near LeSure’s home and Daniels is seen making a call in the surveillance video, the affidavit said.
Eventually, investigators traced the MPD call back to Daniels' phone number.
In a statement made to investigators at the city’s Homicide office, Daniels claimed she had an argument with LeSure after asking him for gas money. LeSure then went inside his home to give Daniels $10 when he collapsed in the driveway, the affidavit read
Daniels went on to say that she stole LeSure’s cellphone and his wallet, which contained $100. She then went through LeSure’s pockets as was laying on the ground and took an additional $10, the affidavit states.
Also, Daniels said that she transferred $1500.00 from LeSure's phone to her account with several $200 transfers. She said she spent the money at the hair salon, getting her nails done, new shoes, and kept the rest of the money
Daniels is currently being held at the Shelby County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
After retiring from law enforcement, LeSure recently returned to school and earned his bachelor's degree from LeMoyne-Owen College. Also, he was a mentor to young kids throughout the community.
“He had outreach ministries to young people in the community, a few blocks away. Westwood community center and now they just lost a mentor,” said Randie Fleming, a neighbor and friend. “It’s one thing you hear gang members shooting and killing each other dying, but someone who is an upstanding guy, he served his community.”
When a grand jury indicted the five officers: Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Justin Smith for their role in Nichol’s death, LeSure was outspoken about the officers who fatally attacked him.
“Human beings man, that’s what happened. They let their emotions get the best of them, and there was no veteran officer there to stop them,” LeSure said in an interview. “Usually when vets are there, things go differently because we have that experience to say, ‘I understand you’re mad but you got to stop, you can’t do this, it isn’t right.’”