On August 15, 17-year-old Texas teen Christian Lamar Weston was arrested for the murder of 52-year-old Yolanda N'Gaojia, a woman who was fatally shot while visiting her late son's grave on March 22.
As per Texas authorities, Christian Lamar Weston allegedly entered Calvary Baptist Church Garden of Memories Cemetery at around 5 pm on March 22 before reportedly shooting two people, including Yolanda N'Gaojia. Gaojia was visiting her son's grave on his 22nd birthday. She was conducting a balloon release as a tribute to him.
In an official statement by the Killeen Police Department, the authorities summed up the incident.
The statement read:
"Upon the officers' arrival, they located two victims who had been shot."
It added:
"N'Gaojia succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased by Justice of the Peace Gregory Johnson at 6:56 p.m. He ordered an autopsy to be performed at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas."
While the second victim survived, N'Gaojia was declared dead at the hospital 2 hours later.
The alleged crime of Christian Lamar Weston
According to the Killeen Police Department, Christian Lamar Weston is currently held without bond at the Bell County jail. The New York Post reported that he had been charged with murder and unlicensed possession of a weapon.
On Saturday, in a statement, the Bell County District Attorney's Office announced that they had identified Weston as the prime suspect.
"This case was reviewed by the Bell County District Attorney's Office and a complaint was returned charging Christian Lamar Weston with Murder."
As per Chisolm Funeral Home, Yolanda's son Amir Tajai-Kineh N'Gaojia was a New Jersey-born man who died on January 1, 2022. While it has not been confirmed how he passed away, it is known that he was out on bond for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Kineh N'Gaojia, Yolanda's ex-husband, condemned the killing on his Facebook Page.
He said:
“I hope (Christopher Lamar Weston) gets the death penalty."
He added:
“This is stuff you see on movies but it has become our life. I can’t believe you are gone Yolanda N’Gaojia … how y’all gonna kill her on her son birthday at his gravesite???”
In another post, he said:
"Those bullets took a precious gem from us but gave us an Amazing Angel to guide us so you know we ain't going nowhere but up cause we know how hard you rode for your family."
The case remains under investigation. The motivation for the March 22 killing remains unknown.