A tragic incident unfolded in Memphis when a woman was brutally killed with a hammer, and her car was subsequently stolen. The victim, 58-year-old Sonya Dates, was discovered by her daughter on Wednesday afternoon, lying next to a blood-soaked hammer. Memphis Police Department officers and a paramedic who arrived at the scene found wounds on the back of her head, leading to her death. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head, likely inflicted by the hammer.
The police investigation revealed that the victim’s grandson, 23-year-old Kerrien Dates, had been residing with his grandmother. The investigators also found that the victim’s blue 2020 Chevrolet Camaro was missing from her residence. The vehicle was later spotted about 85 miles northeast in Jackson, Tennessee, on the same day. The Jackson Police Department confirmed that Kerrien Dates was the individual driving the car.
When the police pulled over Kerrien Dates and questioned him about the reason for the stop, he confessed, “I hit Sonya in the head with a hammer and I think I killed her,” as per an affidavit reviewed by the media. The victim’s daughter revealed that there had been ongoing disputes between Kerrien Dates and his grandmother. She had even advised her mother to evict her son from the house for safety reasons.
Sonya Dates is believed to have been attacked shortly after arriving home, as her body was found still wearing a backpack and lunch bag. The Memphis Police Department has charged Kerrien Dates with first-degree murder and theft of property. He is currently detained in the Shelby County Jail and is scheduled for a court appearance on Monday.
A neighbor of Sonya Dates remembered her as a good person. Tracey Holloman told local media, “It is sad to see she is gone. She didn’t bother anybody, she did not deserve it. I am praying for the family.”