Erica Tate, 30, was found shot to death in an apartment on North Villere Street in New Orleans on January 8, 2021. She was a mother of four young sons; family members described her as radiant, loyal and deeply devoted to her children. Relatives said they had seen warning signs in her life but did not expect such a violent outcome.

Authorities arrested Cedric Powell, the father of Erica’s four children, on the same day her body was discovered. The relationship between Tate and Powell had lasted more than nine years and reports link a domestic dispute to the killing, which has left the children and extended family devastated.

Did anyone in the neighborhood or who knew Erica or her children notice tensions in the relationship that could help explain what happened?