A South Carolina lady was sentenced to jail time after she shot and killed her boyfriend in entrance of her 3-year-old son after he made her transfer out of his house.
Zaria Aiyanna Owens was discovered responsible on Thursday, July 16, on counts of voluntary manslaughter and possession of a weapon in the course of the fee of a violent crime over the August 2023 demise of Tyquirez Rashad Sims.
After the jury discovered her responsible, Owens, 25, was sentenced to serve 21 years in jail on the voluntary manslaughter cost. She was additionally sentenced to an extra 5 years in jail for the weapon possession cost, which the courtroom decided would run concurrently.
Owens discovered her destiny after the incident happened exterior of an house advanced in Spartanburg earlier than 9 p.m. on August 22, 2023.
Prosecutors stated {that a} good friend advised investigators that the couple had been arguing after Sims, 21, requested Owens to maneuver out of his house, in keeping with a courtroom report from WSPA.
The argument escalated and Owens took Sims’ gun and telephone away from him, and he adopted her to her automotive.
Owens and Sims’ combat solely continued to escalate, and she or he pointed the gun at him. Sims then went again contained in the house earlier than he returned with the defendant’s 3-year-old son. Sims took the boy over to Owens’ automotive so she would depart, however Owens aimed the gun at him and fired the weapon.
After she shot Sims, Owens obtained her son and fled the scene in her automotive. Police later discovered the car at an house advanced, whereas Owens turned herself in to police the next morning.
Whereas talking to investigators, Owens initially tried to say she shot Sims in self-defense. Nonetheless, she finally stated she was reaching for her son when she noticed Sims push the kid towards her and the toddler stumbled. Owens then admitted to choosing up the gun and capturing Sims.
First responders discovered Sims useless on the scene and reported that he had been shot one time within the head. Prosecutors said in the course of the trial that Sims was a number of ft away from the shooter on the time she discharged the weapon.
Sims was a brand new father on the time of his demise, along with his youngster being simply 6 months outdated.
Following his demise, Deputy Solicitor Spenser Smith shared that Sims got here from a tight-knit household.
“Tyquirez had a loving household and had turn out to be a father a number of months earlier than his demise,” Smith stated, per the outlet. “This can be a tragic case of home violence that has impacted two households and two younger youngsters.”
Smith continued, “Ms. Owens killed Tyquirez Sims in entrance of her son and now that youngster will develop up with out his mom.”



