Source: WSB-TV / Holsford Family Photo
As “Black Lives Matter” resounds from the mouths of Black people in America and across the globe, it is evidently clear that there are still families suffering under the weight of injustice and inaction. One example is the family of Tamla Horsford, a Forsyth County, Georgia, mom of five who was found dead on November 4, 2018, after attending an adult sleepover.
Tamla, 40, was the lone Black woman at the function, where seven white women and three white men were present.
Her death, which was shrouded in a cloud of mystery like many others including, Kendrick Johnson and Kenneka Jenkins, is again gaining national attention after her family attorney, Ralph E. Fernandez, released an explosive letter highlighting the pitfalls of the case including accusations of conflicting witness statements, a tampered crime scene and mishandled evidence. The letter was first shared by WSB-TV‘s reporter Mike Petchenik who shared the letter to Twitter after obtaining it from Tamla’s husband, Leander.
The most important aspect of Fernandez’s letter is his suggestion that Tamla’s injuries were consistent with being involved in a physical struggle prior to her death.
“The truth never had a chance here,” Fernandez wrote.
In response, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s office and the medical Georgia Bureau of Investigation GBI say they stand by their findings. The Sheriff’s office did state however, that they welcome any new findings from Fernandez that would warrant a case reopening.
Prior to, the narrative surrounding Tamla was that her death was a result of an accident after she excused herself from group members while they were sleeping to take a cigarette break on the balcony. Hours later, her body was discovered 14 feet below in the backyard by one of the homeowners.
“Horsford had severe injuries to her head, neck, and torso, according to the GBI Medical Examiners Report,” Forsyth County News reports. There were cuts to her face, wrist, hand, and lower legs. Horsford also had a “laceration to the right ventricle” of her heart.
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With multiple holes in the case, Tamla’s family and close friends remained vigilant as several people present at the time of her death had close ties to local enforcement, leading to feelings of a possible cover up.
A GoFundMe was created in her honor along with a Change.org petition, calling for officials to reopen the case to obtain justice for Tamla’s family, and several celebrities such as T.I., 50 Cent and Kim Kardashian, have called for an exhaustive review as well.
