Tamiko Talbert-Fleming

Tamiko Talbert-Fleming, a 49-year-old Black woman, was a beloved hairstylist, mother, and grandmother in Chicago. Friends and family said she had recently celebrated her birthday and was a lovely person who served as a counselor from her salon chair. Her sister, TiJuanna Talbert, said Tamiko “liked making women beautiful, changing lives one head at a time.” She was known for her dedication, often working predawn shifts that could last 14 hours. Her husband, Alfonzo Fleming, called her his best friend and insisted they say “I love you” every time they parted, even for a few minutes.

Before dawn on January 14, 2022, Tamiko was parking her car near the salon where she worked in the Marquette Park neighborhood. As she prepared to meet a client, a black SUV pulled up alongside her vehicle at 71st Street and Artesian Avenue. Someone opened fire from the backseat, striking Tamiko in the head. She was rushed to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where she died from her injuries two days later, on Sunday, January 16.

The loss devastated her family and community. In the days after her death, dozens of friends, relatives, and local politicians gathered near the scene to remember her. Her husband spoke through tears about the woman he shared so much laughter with. "This is the worst feeling anybody wants to go through," he said. "I can’t go to sleep at night. Everything in the room I pile on the bed to make me think she is lying next to me — just to touch something." Her sister expressed anger at the killing, saying, “They say this is God’s will. This was the devil.”

Chicago police began an investigation into the shooting. In the following days, supporters canvassed the community, distributing flyers in an effort to find witnesses. As of late January 2022, police confirmed the case remained under investigation and that no one was in custody.

Tamiko Talbert-Fleming’s murder is unsolved. A reward of $15,500 has been offered for information in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call or text Chicago police detectives at 312-747-8380.