Tava Woodard.Photo:Melissa Jones Photography
Melissa Jones Photography
Last Thursday, Tava Woodard texted her mother a funny TikTok video, and after that, a friend dropped her off at her job as a gas station clerk for her shift, which began at midnight.
Less than an hour later the 23-year-old was murdered.
Two men allegedly entered the Roadrunner Market in Johnson City, Tenn. Woodard complied with all their demands and handed over money from the register, but she was still murdered.
The community rallied and joined the search, strangers offered rewards and called in tips to law enforcement. On Tuesday, a father and son were arrested and charged with murder in connection with her death.
Woodard’s shift started off rockily that evening, on June 2. She texted friends and coworkers about a small shoplifting event and said that she wanted to find a new job, her mother, 45-year-old Melissa Jones, tells PEOPLE.
“A customer came in yelling and screaming and stealing some chips,” Jones says.
“She texted that she didn’t feel safe there anymore,” her mother says. “From what I’m hearing none of them were feeling very safe — this is all over the place so I’ll go ahead and say it. All of her coworkers have stated that the ‘panic button’ under the counter wasn’t working — and wasn’t even hooked up.”
Soon after, two men entered the store covered head to toe. Those men ultimately killed her, say authorities.
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An Avid Reader Who Recently Celebrated Birthday
Tava Kristine Woodard turned 23 the week before. She celebrated her birthday at her mother’s house in Dandridge, Tenn., with pretzel pizza and white cake with chocolate frosting.
Woodard loved reading. “She always had a book with her,” remembers her mother, adding that her daughter loved Harry Potter and wanted to write novels.
On her 17th birthday, she and her mother got matching semicolon tattoos as their promise to always be there for each other. Woodard also got a “Deathly Hallows” symbol tattoo, referencing her love of Harry Potter.
Woodard loved animals and would often rescue strays she found on the road and take them to the shelter. “She was worried that they were going to get run over, or that their owners were missing them,” her mother says.
Since her death, her community in the Appalachian mountains has rallied around her family.
“I didn’t realize how huge of an impact she had on everybody else, too,” her mother says. “I’ve gotten so many messages and phone calls from people that cared about her, that talk about how wonderful she was and what a bright light she was for them. She always had a smile on her face and everybody just found so much comfort in being near her. … To know that the rest of the world saw that in her is just amazing.”
Woodard was an activist who spoke out on social media for human rights. “She was never one to bite her tongue or not tell you how she felt about something,” her mother says. “If she felt it and she believed it, she screamed it from the mountain tops.”
She was also an advocate for her younger brother, 20-year-old Jace Woodard, who has Asperger’s Syndrome.
“Tava was his biggest advocate at school and on the bus. She always took care of him,” her mother says.
She was also incredibly close to her 15-year-old sister Addie Blazer.
“They were always together, literally laying on top of each other hugging and snuggling and holding hands,” her mother remembers. “They just loved each other so much.”
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Johnson City Police Department declined to comment to PEOPLE due to the active investigation. After the arrest, police and the Washington County Sheriff’s office did not return PEOPLE’s phone calls.
Johnson City Police Chief Billy Churchtold WJHL, “In my almost 30 years of law enforcement experience, this case is one of the most heartbreaking that I’ve come across."
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s intake report, Mark Anthony Sexton, Jr., 41, was charged with first-degree murder, especially aggravated robbery and driving an unregistered vehicle.
His 18-year-old son, Mark Anthony Sexton III, age 18, was charged with first-degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, possible firearm commission of dangerous felony and tampering with evidence.
It was not immediately clear if either suspect had entered a plea or retained an attorney.
Flowers in Her Honor
A GoFundMehas been established to support Woodard’s family.
Woodard recently sent her sister a meme that said, “If I die, don’t you dare release a bunch of balloons. I want you to plant flowers for me, so that I can continue to grow.” Now, the family is asking people to plant flowers “so that we can keep her alive and keep her with us,” her mother says.
Woodard’s funeral is scheduled for June 10.
People from the community and around the world have shared Woodard’s story and reached out offering support to her mother. A memorial was set up inside the store, and rewards were set up for information that led to the arrests.
“It’s overwhelming and heartwarming the support and love and prayers that we have received from so many people,” her mother says. “I want to meet and hug every single person that has thought about her and done something nice for her family — even if it’s a message they’ve sent me. … I want to see all of these people that loved my daughter.”
source: people.com
