The family of a Columbus woman and her daughter who police say were killed in a domestic violence homicide are raising two surviving children as they mourn the losses.
Shalimar Green, 33, and Aliv’eyah Chandler, 11, were found dead in their home on the 2000 block of Chatsworth Way on Columbus’ Southeast Side on May 27. Derrick Green, 35, has been charged with two counts of murder in the death of his wife, Shalimar, and her daughter.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kathryne Smith read a victim impact statement from the family of the woman and her daughter at a May 27 arraignment hearing in the Franklin County Municipal Court.
In the statement, the parent of Shalimar Green and grandparent of Chandler expressed fury at Derrick Green, saying he would never see his surviving children, a pair of sons, again.
“I now have to raise my grandsons because you took my daughter away from me,” the statement read in part. “I see my daughter and granddaughter with every breath I take. Your kids asked if you were going to hurt them next.”
Derrick Green’s attorney asked Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Mike McAllister to stop the statement at one point, saying it was “getting a little into the weeds” and addressing Green directly. McAllister allowed the remaining two sentences to be read.
“You destroyed my family, my grandsons want their mother, and what do I tell them?” the statement concluded. “I hope you get what you deserve.”
A GoFundMe to help pay for burial costs for Shalimar Green and Chandler had raised more than $2,500 as of mid-afternoon of June 1.
“Shalimar was a loving mother, daughter and friend whose kindness touched so many lives,” the fundraiser states. “Aliv’eyah was a bright, beautiful child with a loving heart and a promising future. Their loss has left our family devastated more than words can describe.”
The family hopes to raise $8,000 to cover cremation and a modest service for the woman and her daughter, according to the fundraiser. Any further money will go toward the care of Shalimar Green’s surviving sons.
According to court records, Shalimar Green was in the process of ending her relationship with Derrick Green when he stabbed and shot her and her daughter. The two were found dead after concerned relatives requested a welfare check.
The previous night, Shalimar Green had found Derrick Green sleeping with a knife on the couch, detectives alleged in court records. She took the knife away and confronted him about why he had it.
Chandler and Shalimar Green had multiple stab wounds and gunshot wounds, according to court records.
Hearing includes disturbing allegation about girl’s death
The hearing included disturbing allegations about the girl’s death. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kathryne Smith said Green had admitted to raping Chandler’s body after she died.
“The defendant was apprehended and agreed to an interview, and during that interview he admitted to raping the child victim postmortem,” Smith said, without going into further detail.
Previous court records did not mention this allegation. Green has not been charged with abuse of a corpse or any similar crimes.
As of June 1, Green remains imprisoned in the Franklin County Jail. Judge Mike McAllister set his bond at $5 million at the arraignment hearing.
State representative condemns double domestic violence homicide
In a statement, State Rep. Latyna Humphrey, a Democrat representing Columbus, said she was “heartbroken” by the killings. She called it a “devastating loss of life.”
“As a legislator and as a mother, I cannot stop thinking about the life of the young girl lost in this tragedy,” Humphrey said. “She had dreams, hopes, and a future ahead of her.”
Humphrey said the case underscores the need for prevention, intervention, and accountability in domestic violence cases.
“Domestic violence is not a private matter,” Humphrey said. “It is a public safety issue, a public health issue, and far too often, a matter of life and death. Behind every statistic is a person who deserved the opportunity to live, grow, and thrive.”
Public Safety and Breaking News Reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Family of slain Columbus mother ‘devastated,’ left to raise alleged killer’s sons
Reporting by Bailey Gallion, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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