Two women were fatally shot Friday in a double homicide that has shaken the DeSoto County community, and loved ones are preparing to honor one of the victims at the home she never lived to occupy.
Tanika Summers, who had been days away from moving into her new Habitat for Humanity home, was found dead Friday morning at an Arcadia apartment complex after what law enforcement is calling a domestic shooting.
Neighbors reported hearing gunshots early Friday, and responding officers discovered Summers with multiple gunshot wounds. Friends and family confirmed her identity and recalled her vibrant spirit.
“She’s so full of life and smiles… she was so happy,” said Jennifer Bowser, executive director of Arcadia-DeSoto County Habitat for Humanity. Bowser said Summers had recently laid fresh sod at her new home and was enthusiastically preparing for the next chapter of her life.
Instead of receiving the keys to that home, Summers will be remembered there by those who loved her. Habitat for Humanity has scheduled a memorial service for Summers on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the home where she had planned to move.
Authorities have charged 45-year-old Eric Devon Robinson in connection with the killings. According to police, Robinson opened fire at the apartment complex. Court records show a judge issued a restraining order against Robinson last September at Summers’ request for domestic violence protection.
Neighbors described the chaotic scene as Robinson “just sporadically shooting,” according to one witness, Damien Brown.
Robinson was later arrested near the scene and now faces two counts of first-degree murder.
A second victim in the case was identified by family members as 77-year-old Barbara Bates, a nearby resident. Police have not disclosed whether Bates had any known connection to Summers.
The community continues to mourn both victims and rally around their families during this difficult time.
