A young Murfreesboro mother who was shot in the neck outside a local pool hall over the weekend has died, according to family members and law enforcement.
Cierra Alexis was shot early Saturday morning, around 1:30 a.m., outside MJ’s Sports Bar & Grill on Northwest Broadway Street. She was later found at a nearby muffler shop and rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
A Mother’s Fight for Life
Doctors performed two surgeries in an attempt to stop bleeding in her brain after a bullet fragment became lodged there.
Her family said her platelets were not high enough to safely perform a third surgery to remove the fragment, so medical staff instead ran additional tests to determine how much brain activity remained.
Family members took to social media asking for prayers as Alexis fought for her life, with one relative writing that doctors had warned she might not survive the night.
Despite the outpouring of support and hope from friends and family, Alexis passed away from her injuries.
In her final act, Alexis was able to donate her kidneys, which doctors say saved the lives of two other patients. Loved ones say the gesture reflected who she was in life, someone who gave to others even in her final moments.
Alexis leaves behind a young son named Elijah. Tributes have poured in from family and friends describing her as a devoted mother and partner. One loved one wrote online about the daily routine they shared, the phone calls, and the laughter, and how lost they felt without her.
She is survived by her mother, Laura Carson Tucker; her father, Carlos Dupra Johnson; her sister, Frever Darian; her stepsister, Jessica Laws, and her aunt, Jennifer Battle. Alexis was originally from Nashville and had studied at Trevecca Nazarene University.
Suspect Faces Upgraded Murder Charge
The Murfreesboro Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit is leading the investigation into the shooting. Authorities arrested a suspect shortly after the incident, who was initially charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder.
With Alexis’s death now confirmed, police say the charges are expected to be upgraded to first-degree murder. The suspect remains jailed in Nashville as the investigation continues.
Police have not released additional details about what led to the shooting or the relationship, if any, between the suspect and the victim. The investigation remains active and ongoing, and detectives are continuing to gather evidence as the case moves toward prosecution.
News of Alexis’s death has spread quickly across social media, where friends, classmates, and community members have shared messages of grief and support for her family. Many posts have included the hashtag justice for Cierra Alexis, as loved ones call for accountability in the case.
Community members have described Alexis as a kind and loving presence who touched many lives, both through her relationships and now through organ donation. Her family has asked for continued prayers and privacy as they grieve and navigate the legal process ahead.
As the case proceeds through the courts, the Murfreesboro community continues to mourn the loss of a young mother whose life was cut short, while also finding some measure of comfort in knowing that her final act gave two other families a second chance at life.
