Sonya Dates Obituary, Death; Authorities have identified the woman who was murdered in her East Memphis residence and have charged her grandson with the crime.
Memphis police reported that Sonya Dates, aged 58, was discovered bleeding from her head with a hammer beside her on Wednesday afternoon by her daughter in the 1800 block of South Perkins Road. She was declared dead at the scene.
Law enforcement officials indicated that her vehicle, a 2020 Chevrolet Camaro, was also reported as missing.
Sonya’s grandson, 23-year-old Kerrien Dates, was apprehended in Jackson, Tennessee, and charged with first-degree murder and theft of property valued between $10,000 and $60,000.
Utilizing the Flock Camera System, investigators stated they were able to trace the vehicle to Jackson, Tennessee. Jackson Police reported that when they located the missing Camaro, they inquired of the driver, later identified as Kerrien Dates, the reason for the traffic stop.
At that moment, officers claim Kerrien made a spontaneous statement, saying, “I hit Sonya in the head with a hammer and I think I killed her.”
He was subsequently taken into custody by Jackson Police without any incident.
A neighbor who recognized Kerrien Dates from his mug shot mentioned that she frequently observed him walking in circles around the duplex where he resided and found the behavior peculiar. The neighbor noted that she was not at home during the time of the incident.
Kerrien was booked into the Shelby County Jail on Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday morning.
