Alicia Marie Turner was a 39-year-old Black woman from Paris, Texas, known to friends and family as Sparkle and remembered as a devoted mother of four. Outgoing and loyal, she enjoyed dancing, laughing and cooking, attended Paris High School and belonged to Truevine Christian Church.

In the early hours of August 12, 2022, at about 12:15 a.m., police responded to a shots-fired call in the 300 block of E. Grove Street. Officers found Alicia in the yard of a residence; she was deceased from gunshot wounds. Her daughter, Jakellia Turner, suffered gunshot wounds to her legs and survived. A woman at the scene, 34-year-old Lilandria Shiaire Bell, admitted to the shooting, called 911 and waited for officers. Bell was arrested and later indicted on murder and aggravated assault charges.

At trial in Lamar County, Bell’s defense said she acted in self-defense after a confrontation described by the defense as stemming from a love quarrel and involving a machete. After 70 minutes of deliberation the jury acquitted Bell, concluding she had acted in self-defense and closing the case legally. Does anyone have information about Alicia or that night that could shed more light on what happened?