In times of tragedy and unexpected loss, life can seem completely overwhelming. It's in those challenging times that people need support more than ever.
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When a single mom's life was suddenly taken from her, her four children were both blindsided and devastated by the loss. On top of their grief, they also faced homelessness as they struggled to support themselves. Thankfully, a Hollywood mogul became their personal guardian angel when they needed it most…
The Meeting Place
On the morning of March 16, 2019, 45-year-old Tynesha Evans from Alpharetta, Georgia, agreed to meet 58-year-old Othniel Inniss, her on-again, off- again boyfriend, at a local Wells Fargo bank. According to Evans' children, Inniss had offered to help her out financially.
Falling Behind
Evans was a single mother to four children and had always worked tirelessly to support her children over the years. The 45-year-old was an author and also worked a full-time job in the healthcare industry. Recently, however, she started struggling financially and fell behind on some bills.
A Kind Offer
So when Inniss contacted her and offered to help her out, Evans gratefully accepted what she thought was a kind gesture. "He had previously told her he was going to assist. So I guess he asked to meet her at the bank," Sharadiant Turner, Evans' daughter, told WSB-TV.
Final Moments
"I wanted to get groceries and come out and she's gone and I called her and asked her where she was and she said she had to meet him," Sharadiant said. Tragically, that was the last time she spoke to her mother. Just minutes later, Evans was shot outside of the Wells Fargo Bank.
A Trap
Rather than trying to help her, Inniss allegedly used his offer to lure Evans to the bank. Once he met her there, Inniss shot the mother of four. "At about 11:40 am, our 911 center received an emergency call of shots fired on the corner of N. Main Street and Academy Street," Alpharetta Department of Public Safety shared on Facebook.
The Arrest
"Multiple officers responded to the scene and located the female victim, 45-year-old Tynesha Evans of Alpharetta, lying in the parking lot of the Wells Fargo Bank at 21 N. Main Street," Alpharetta DPS explained. Officers also found Inniss at the scene and arrested him on the spot.
The Armed Witness
"At the time of the shooting, an armed witness who was driving by the bank heard the shot, got out to help, confronted the suspect, ordered the suspect to drop his weapon, and waited until our officers arrived on scene. A semi-automatic handgun was recovered at the scene," Alpharetta DPS said.
The Charges
First responders rushed Evans to the North Fulton Regional Hospital, but it was sadly too late. She passed away that day. Meanwhile, Inniss was questioned by police, who charged the 58-year-old with Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Firearm.
Devastated Kids
After Evans' three daughters and one son found out that their mother had been killed, they were understandably devastated and are still grieving their loss. "You could be here today gone tomorrow and you never know. Love isn't supposed to hurt," Audrey Turner, Evans' daughter, told WSB-TV.
The Best Mother
"She's awesome. She's the best thing I could ever have in my life," Shakemia Turner said about her late mother. According to Shakemia, Evans was a source of unwavering support and inspiration in her life. Evans always pushed her and her siblings to achieve things they never thought they could.
Unwavering Support
"She was caring, funny…if I ever needed anything, I knew I could call her," Sharadiant said about her single-mother. "She can't kiss me. She can't tell me to wake up in the morning after I missed my alarm. She can't. She's not here," Shakemia added.
The Hero Stranger
The family was also grateful for the stranger that jumped into action and help Inniss at the scene until the police arrived. "I do thank him. I really do. Because again, he would've got away," Audrey said about the brave stranger who helped put their mother's killer behind bars.
A Challenging Time
Unfortunately, the four siblings were forced to deal with more than just their grief. Instead of being able to focus their energy on getting through the tough time in their lives, Evans' four children had to figure out how to come up with money to cover their mom's funeral costs.
Raising Money
They also had to find a way to pay off their mom's debt as well as bills to run their household. As a result, the kids started a GoFundMe to try and raise enough money so they could afford to bury their mom as well as cover food costs, rent, and electricity bills.
Asking For Help
"My mom was the breadwinner of our home, please see it in your heart to keep us in our home and put my mother to rest decently and not be homeless in a few weeks. We have to raise our two teenage sisters, please see it in your heart to assist. God Bless," the kids wrote on the GoFundMe account.
Impending Eviction
Yet Evans had been behind on the rent and owed about $3,200 and Webb Bridge Crossing Apartments was about to evict the family. "When we lose where we lay our head, we lose memories of her. Every time I walk into the kitchen, I see my mom cooking, dancing, and singing. If you remove me from there, I'm not gonna have that memory," Shakemia said.
A Hollywood Hero
However, the family of four no longer has to worry about going homeless or having to come up with money to pay the bills thanks to actor and Hollywood mogul Tyler Perry. Perry heard about the tragic story and personally called Evans' children to offer his help.
The Phone Call
"It was a call I wasn't even going to answer," Audrey explained. "I said, 'Well, let me answer it to see who it is.' I answered and the person on the other end said, 'This is Tyler.' I said, 'Who?' He said, 'This is Tyler.' I said, 'Tyler who?' and he said, 'Tyler Perry.' At that point, I just broke down crying."
A Generous Offer
Perry offered to pay to fly Evans' body to Wisconsin where her funeral is being held. He also promised to pay for their rent so they don't have to worry about being evicted. On top of that, Perry also promised to pay for all of Sharadiant's tuition at Spelman College in Atlanta.
A Guardian Angel
"I'm going to do what she wanted me to do. She started me on math and now I'm going to get to graduate with a mathematics degree from Spelman College without debt, it means everything," said Sharadiant, who was going to have to drop out of school. "This is amazing. We can't thank him enough," she added.