Chandra Mays

Chandra Mays, a 29-year-old Black woman, was tragically shot and killed on January 1, 2018, in Memphis, Tennessee. What should have been the beginning of a new year filled with hope and possibilities instead became a devastating day for her family and loved ones. Her death occurred following a domestic dispute involving her boyfriend, Corry Merriweather, at his residence in Shelby County. The confrontation escalated into gunfire, leaving Chandra with fatal injuries and bringing her life to a sudden and heartbreaking end.

Chandra was remembered as a loving, peaceful, energetic, and kindhearted person. Memorial information shared in her honor identified her as a store manager at Domino's and indicated that she had attended Independence High School. Those who contributed to her memorial described a woman whose personality and warmth left a lasting impression. Her death was among numerous fatal shootings reported across the United States on New Year's Day, drawing attention to the devastating consequences of domestic violence and gun-related deaths.

Following the shooting, investigators identified Merriweather as the person responsible for Chandra's death. In subsequent court filings, Merriweather claimed that he had called 911 after the shooting and was attempting to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation when emergency responders arrived. He later characterized the incident as an accident resulting from a domestic dispute. However, his description of the shooting did not prevent prosecutors from pursuing a serious criminal charge. The investigation ultimately led to formal murder proceedings against him.

On June 21, 2018, a Shelby County grand jury indicted Corry Merriweather on one count of first-degree premeditated murder in connection with Chandra's death. The indictment reflected the prosecution's determination that the evidence supported pursuing the most serious category of intentional homicide under Tennessee law. Court records identify the victim as Candra Mays, an alternative spelling of her first name. The criminal case proceeded through the Shelby County court system, where Merriweather faced the possibility of a life sentence if convicted of the original charge.

Rather than proceeding to a jury trial, Merriweather ultimately reached a negotiated plea agreement with prosecutors. On September 11, 2019, he pleaded guilty to the lesser-included offense of second-degree murder. Under the agreement, he received a sentence of 35 years in prison as a Range II offender. Although the court noted that Merriweather otherwise qualified as a Range I offender, the negotiated agreement required him to accept the more severe sentencing classification in exchange for the reduction of the charge from first-degree murder to second-degree murder. Under Tennessee law, his sentence was designated to be served at 100 percent.

Despite accepting the plea agreement, Merriweather subsequently attempted to have his punishment reduced. On January 22, 2020, he filed a motion requesting that the court modify or partially suspend his sentence. In the motion, he maintained that he had not previously been convicted of other felonies and referenced a dismissed domestic violence charge. He also expressed remorse for Chandra's death, acknowledged responsibility for what happened, and described her as the woman he loved. He argued that the shooting had been a terrible accident arising from their domestic dispute and offered to make restitution to her family.

On January 27, 2020, the trial court denied Merriweather's request without conducting an additional hearing. The judge determined that the 35-year sentence was the result of a negotiated agreement voluntarily entered into between the prosecution and defense. Because the state had agreed to reduce the original first-degree murder charge in exchange for Merriweather accepting the lengthy sentence, the court declined to alter the terms of that agreement. Merriweather attempted to appeal the decision, arguing that his guilty plea had been involuntary and that he had received ineffective assistance from his defense attorney. His appeal was dismissed after being filed outside the required deadline.

Merriweather continued challenging his conviction through post-conviction proceedings in 2021. He submitted petitions alleging problems with his legal representation and the circumstances surrounding his guilty plea. However, the trial court dismissed his petitions because they were filed outside the statutory limitations period. Merriweather argued that an earlier legal filing had been delivered to prison mailroom personnel within the required deadline but was never processed because of disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. He claimed that prison mail had been quarantined and destroyed, preventing his original petition from reaching the court.

The dispute eventually reached the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. On August 3, 2022, the appellate court affirmed the dismissal of Merriweather's post-conviction petition. Although the court considered his explanation concerning the prison mailroom, it concluded that he had failed to properly raise the relevant circumstances in his earlier petition and had not established a legal basis for reopening the proceedings. His request for additional post-conviction relief was therefore denied. The Tennessee Supreme Court subsequently denied his application for further review on December 14, 2022, leaving his second-degree murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence intact.

Chandra Mays's death was a devastating example of how a domestic confrontation can escalate into irreversible violence. The legal proceedings ultimately established criminal responsibility for her killing, resulting in a second-degree murder conviction and a lengthy prison sentence for Corry Merriweather. Although the criminal case reached a resolution, that outcome could never restore the life that was lost on New Year's Day in 2018. Chandra is remembered not simply as the victim of a homicide, but as a person whose kindness, energy, and presence mattered to those who knew and loved her.