Leah Carnes, 32, was killed by gunshots that broke out after a domestic argument in the parking lot of an apartment complex in southeast Shelby County on Monday, February 16, 2026. The accused gunman was charged with first-degree murder.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance and shots fired call at approximately 6:15 p.m. at the Centennial Gardens Apartments, located in the 7800 block of Capital Peak Lane East off Hacks Cross Road and Highway 385. Deputies arriving at the scene encountered a chaotic situation involving vehicle vandalism and gunfire that had already occurred.
According to investigators, the incident began when 33-year-old Jasmine Schreane allegedly began vandalizing vehicles in the parking lot. Witnesses reported hearing yelling, what sounded like gunshots, and then a car peeling off from the complex. Deputies found several spent shell casings at the scene and observed damage to multiple vehicles. Investigators determined that Schreane exited her vehicle before deputies arrived and began shooting at two individuals who were sitting inside a car. During the gunfire, Carnes was struck and critically wounded.
A man at the scene quickly drove the wounded victim to Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital in a desperate attempt to save her life. Despite these efforts, Leah Carnes was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The man who transported her will not face charges, according to the sheriff’s office, though officials did not elaborate further on his role in the incident.
Schreane was detained at the scene by deputies and repeatedly identified by investigators as the alleged shooter. Following the investigation, she was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder, Criminal Attempt First Degree Murder, and Felony Vandalism. Jail records indicate she remains in custody pending further court proceedings.
The victim’s sister, Devin Toliver, shared her grief with local media, expressing the family’s devastation at losing a loved one in such a violent manner. “You didn’t have to kill her,” Toliver said, speaking to the senseless nature of the shooting that stemmed from what authorities have consistently described as a domestic dispute between two women. The family now mourns a life cut short at the Centennial Gardens Apartments, a large rental community in southeast Memphis.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident and urges anyone with additional information to come forward. Tips can be submitted through the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office tip portal or anonymously to CrimeStoppers of Memphis at 901-528-CASH. The investigation remains active as authorities work to piece together the complete sequence of events that led a personal dispute to escalate to fatal gunfire in an apartment complex parking lot on a Monday evening.
