Kiauna Newsom: Memphis woman's plan to kill ex-BF goes wrong after she mistakenly shoots his roommate who had borrowed his car

Kiauna Newsom was charged with one count of first-degree murder in the slaying of George Harris
PUBLISHED MAR 5, 2024
Kiauna Newsom was arrested for fatally shooting her ex-boyfriend's roommate (Shelby County Sheriff's Office)
Kiauna Newsom was arrested for fatally shooting her ex-boyfriend's roommate (Shelby County Sheriff's Office)

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: Memphis cops arrested a 29-year-old woman after she mistakenly shot her roommate while trying to kill her ex-boyfriend following an argument at a store. 

Kiauna Newsom fatally shot her ex-boyfriend's roommate George Harris multiple times in what authorities describe as a case of mistaken identity, Law&Crime reports. 

Court documents reveal that Newsom was taken into custody on Sunday, March 3, and charged with one count of first-degree murder in the killing of Harris.

Police found deceased George Harris inside a parked car

The Memphis Police Department was alerted to the crime scene around 1.53 pm on Saturday, March 2, following a report of a shooting outside a residence in the 5400 block of Apple Blossom Drive. 

Upon their arrival, first responders discovered an unresponsive individual identified as Harris inside a parked Chevy Malibu. Harris showed signs of multiple gunshot wounds, and authorities observed four bullet holes in the driver’s side door of the vehicle. 

Emergency medical personnel rushed Harris to Regional One Health, where he was later pronounced dead.

Investigators find surveillance footage

Investigators got the surveillance video from a nearby camera which allegedly shows the shooting. The video shows a Nissan Altima with "unique damage" driven by a woman in a white T-shirt following the Chevy Malibu just before the shooting.

Police talked to Harris' roommate, Newsom's ex-boyfriend. He said the car Harris belonged to him and he let Harris borrow it. 

Harris claimed, “(Newsom’s ex-boyfriend) explained that he believed that he was the intended target and Harris was the victim of mistaken identity."

The ex-boyfriend stated that he and his ex-girlfriend Kiauna Newson got into an argument at a store at Kirby and Shelby Drive. The ex-boyfriend advised that he left the store and went home. When he got home, victim Harris asked (the ex-boyfriend) to borrow his car.

He added, “(The ex-boyfriend) loaned his car to Harris and advised that a short time later, he received a phone call that Harris had been shot. Video from the store at Kirby and Shelby showed that Kiauna Newson was wearing a white V-neck shirt and driving a gray Nissan a short time before the murder.”

Kiauna Newsom (Shelby County Sheriff's Office)
Kiauna Newsom admitted to driving the Nissan and searching for (her ex-boyfriend’s) vehicle with a male she knows as Boogie (Shelby County Sheriff's Office)

Kiauna Newsom was arrested at her home

Investigators went to Newsom's house and found a car with the same damage. They saw her on video going home at 2.06 pm on the day of the shooting.

Police arrested Newsom at about 2 pm on March 3. According to the affidavit, “Newsom admitted to driving the Nissan and searching for (her ex-boyfriend’s) vehicle with a male she knows as Boogie.” 

It added, "Newsom located the vehicle then pulled alongside (her ex-boyfriend’s) Chevy Malibu and Boogie pulled out a rifle-style firearm then fired multiple shots into the Chevy Malibu. Newsom advised she then fled the scene in the Nissan with Boogie.”

Newsom picked out Boogie from a set of pictures. His real name is Justin Howard. They issued a warrant for his arrest, but he wasn't in jail yet.

Newsom is in jail with no bond.

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