Police had a record of his violence: Valtricia Garrett’s killing in Vicksburg followed arrests in 2017 and 2018 and a new report this year
Valtricia Garrett, 53, was killed by her husband in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on Friday morning, police say, before he took his own life as officers tried to talk him into surrendering. Police say there was a documented history of domestic violence, including arrests in 2017 and 2018 and a report made a couple of months ago. Her brother says she had left him and was trying to move on.
Three things to know
- Police were called at about 9am on Friday (local time) to a welfare check on a man with a gun in a car behind the Vicksburg Convalescent Home, near Cherry and Shannon Streets.
- Officers spoke with Cedric Garrett, 40, for more than 20 minutes before he died. Valtricia Garrett was found dead in the passenger seat; investigators believe he killed her first.
- Police Chief Larry Burns said the man had been arrested for domestic violence in 2017 and 2018, and that a domestic violence report was made in 2026, about two months earlier.
A Mississippi woman who had left her husband was killed by him on Friday, police say, in a case that followed years of recorded domestic violence.
Valtricia Garrett, 53, was found dead in the passenger seat of a car behind the Vicksburg Convalescent Home at about 9am local time on Friday. Vicksburg police had been called to a welfare check on a man with a gun in the vehicle, near Cherry and Shannon Streets.
Officers set up a perimeter and spoke with the man, her husband Cedric Garrett, 40, for more than 20 minutes, Police Chief Larry Burns said. He then took his own life. Investigators believe he killed his wife before taking his own life. The department’s criminal investigations unit is continuing to investigate.
What did police know about him?
Chief Burns said the couple had a documented history of domestic violence. He said Cedric Garrett was arrested for domestic violence in 2017 and again in 2018, and that a domestic violence report was made in 2026, about two months before Friday.
Police have not said what happened after that report, or whether any protective order was in place.
Who was Valtricia Garrett?
Her brother, Andre Moore, told local reporters she had left her husband and was trying to move on with her life. He described her as a mother and grandmother who looked after other people, a loving presence in the Vicksburg community who would help anyone.
He said he learned of her death from a phone call early on Friday morning. The family had buried their mother about a month earlier.
A video Cedric Garrett posted to Facebook that morning spread widely online. VNN is not describing or sharing it.
Why does leaving matter?
Domestic violence researchers and support services have long warned that the time around separation is one of the most dangerous for women leaving a violent partner. Access to a gun raises that risk sharply. A widely cited US study of intimate partner killings found an abuser’s access to a firearm made it about five times more likely that a woman would be killed.
Cases like Friday’s are why services urge anyone planning to leave a violent partner to make a safety plan with a specialist service first.
Where to get help
In Australia, 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) offers free, confidential support for anyone affected by domestic, family or sexual violence, 24 hours a day. In an emergency call 000. If this story raises concerns for you, Lifeline is available on 13 11 14, and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 (13YARN 13 92 76 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).
In the United States, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233, and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988.
What happens next
- Vicksburg police say their investigation is continuing and more information will be released.
- Funeral arrangements for Valtricia Garrett have not yet been announced.
Sources
- VNN
VNN never names people who give us information in confidence. How we protect sources and tips.
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