In Shepherdsville, Kentucky, Tiffanie Lucas, 32, is facing murder charges following the shooting deaths of her two sons, aged six and nine, at their home in the Louisville suburb of Bullitt County.
The incident began unfolding on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, when authorities were alerted by a neighbor to a shooting at Lucas’ residence. Upon arrival, they discovered both boys, Maurice Baker Jr., 6, and Jayden Howard, 9, with gunshot wounds. Despite immediate transportation to Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville, both children died due to their injuries.
A firearm, believed to be the weapon used in the crime, was found on a bed in the home. Lucas was arrested at the address of the Bullitt County Emergency Medical Services, 200 Salt Well Court, indicating she may have been with her sons at the hospital.
Colonel Alex Payne of the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office commented on the case, suggesting that Lucas’ actions could be the result of “pure evil,” a mental health crisis, substance abuse, or a mix of these factors. He noted that the motive was still unclear, and the outcome was undeniably tragic.
On her Facebook profile, Lucas appeared as a devoted mother. She expressed profound love for her sons in a Mother’s Day post, emphasizing their close bond. There were no visible signs of potential violence in her social media presence. Lucas had previously served a jail sentence for drug possession but had no recorded history of violent conduct.
The boys were half-brothers; one had a deceased father, while the other’s father was not immediately located. Maurice’s stepmother, Michelle Rice, said Lucas had a drug problem and that children’s services had been called several times and “they never helped those boys.”
Talia Crutcher, identifying as Lucas’ friend, expressed her shock and sense of betrayal on social media. She contemplated Lucas’ potential mental health issues but remained firm in her belief that the Lucas she knew would not harm her children.
Lucas is currently detained at Bullitt County Jail with a bail set at $2 million.
