'He was really like a tyrant': Milwaukee man charged in domestic violence homicide
CBS 58 MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Tavarris Jones is now charged in the shooting and killing of 44-year-old Kazzie Ference.
Ference was shot and killed early Saturday morning in her home, according to family and friends.
Family and friends tell us Tavarris Jones was a former boyfriend and that there had been a pattern of domestic violence in their relationship.
A criminal complaint says Ference’s daughters told police she had gone on a date with another man the night of the shooting and that she and Jones had been fighting that day.
The complaint says one of their daughters told police she saw and heard everything when Jones shot her mother.
The 9-year-old told police Jones said to go to her room, and that is when she saw everything on a security camera, including Jones holding a gun to Ference’s head and shooting her, and then saying, “That’s what you get for cheat on me. You not gonna cheat on me no more cus you dead.”
According to the complaint, there were five kids in the home at the time of the shooting, four of them belonging to Ference and Jones.
“Kazzie was doing her very best to get away from this guy. He was really like a tyrant,” Kazzie’s lifelong friend Ty Edwards said.
Edwards says Ference owned the home, but Jones would not leave and threatened her when asked to leave.
“She had asked him to leave her home several times, and he would threaten her. He would yell at her, he would scream at her in front of the children, and she kind of felt powerless in her own home,” Edwards said.
Domestic violence homicides are up in Milwaukee this year, according to Sojourner President and CEO Carmen Pitre.
“Last year, we landed on 32 domestic violence homicides for the entire year. As of today, I believe we are at 36,” Pitre said.
The work is being done in hopes of making sure Ference is the last name on that list.
"We need to be talking to everyone about this issue because it’s prevalent, it’s urgent, it’s critical, and we’re beyond crisis, in my opinion,” Pitre said.
Jones is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and will be back in court next Monday, Oct. 19.
“My worst nightmare, the family’s worst nightmare, has finally come to fruition,” Edwards said.
