Texas mother fatally shoots daughter’s grandmother over custody, police say

Authorities in Texas said a woman fatally shot the paternal grandmother of her 3-year-old daughter over custody. The fatal incident happened at a Starbucks store on East Renner Road during a meeting. And police said the suspect, identified as Tranisa Watts, shot and killed Kentoria Edwards in the presence of the minor, FOX 4 reported.

Edwards’ family members said the deceased grandmother had full custody of little Jordyn Page for most of her life. Watts, on the other hand, did not have any custody and had no involvement in her daughter Jordyn’s life. The suspect and Jordyn’s father are also estranged.

And though the two hardly met, Edwards, 52, agreed to a meeting with Watts at Starbucks on Monday. Police said that during the meeting, Watts opened fire on Edwards so she could take the minor.

“I don’t know what was going on in her mind yesterday,” Edwards’ niece, Jazmin Parnell, said. “They haven’t had any contact with her.”

Parnell added that prior to the meeting at Starbucks, Watts came to Edwards’ residence to see the deceased grandmother and Jordyn. But they weren’t at home at the time. Edwards later agreed to a meeting with Watts, and she was accompanied to the Starbucks by an adult family member.

Authorities said Watts shot Edwards and tried leaving the Starbucks with Jordyn, FOX 4 reported. But police managed to arrest Watts before she fled the scene. Edwards was transported to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

“Pure evilness because my auntie loved her granddaughter,” Parnell said.

Watts faces a capital murder charge, and she’s being held on a $1 million bond. “She loved Jordyn a lot,” Parnell said about her deceased aunt. “She died protecting her granddaughter.”