Alabama Woman Told Sister to “Plan My Funeral” Two Days Before Being Killed by Boyfriend in Murder-Suicide
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — A woman who was shot and killed by her boyfriend in a tragic murder-suicide last month had eerily predicted her death just days earlier, telling her sister to “plan my funeral.”
Victim and Suspect Identified
Police identified the victim as LaVentrice Denise “Vent” Tolbert, 40, and the shooter as Tony Dewayne Davis, 35. According to the Birmingham Police Department, Davis fatally shot Tolbert just before midnight on September 24 inside a residence on Kiser Road before turning the gun on himself.
Responding officers found Tolbert dead at the scene. Davis was still alive when police arrived but died two days later from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“She Told Me, ‘You’ll Be the One to Plan My Funeral’”
Tolbert’s sister, Monique Tolbert, told AL.com that her sibling had been in a seven-year abusive relationship with Davis. Two days before the killing, Denise confided in her sister about her fear that something terrible was going to happen.
“She told me, ‘When I leave, you will be the one to plan my funeral,’” Monique recalled. “She wanted me to be strong.”
She said she tried to change the subject, not wanting to accept what her sister was saying. “I told her that’s not something I wanted to talk about. I went inside, and she hugged me and told me she loved me.”
Two days later, Monique received the call she’d been dreading. “I got the worst phone call of my life,” she said.
Witness Heard Gunfire Inside the Home
According to reporting from AL.com, another resident in the home was asleep upstairs when the gunfire erupted. The witness told investigators she came downstairs after hearing the shots and found Davis holding a gun to his head, saying he was “not going back to jail.”
Birmingham Police Sgt. LaQuitta Wade confirmed to reporters that multiple people were inside the home during the shooting, but no one else was injured.
Police Confirm Domestic Violence History
Investigators say the relationship between Tolbert and Davis had been volatile for years, with prior incidents of domestic disturbance. Sgt. Wade described the shooting as “a domestic-related murder-suicide.”
Tolbert’s sister is now speaking publicly to urge other victims of domestic abuse to seek help before it’s too late. “I want to tell anyone else in this situation to talk to somebody, let them know what’s going on,” she said.
The heartbreaking case has reignited discussions about domestic violence awareness and the importance of intervention programs across Alabama. For more community safety and awareness stories, follow ChicagoMusicGuide.com.