Tragedy as veterinarian shot dead in a parking lot feud after her friend threw up on the suspected gunman's car



Slain: Dr. Deidra Blackmon, 33, was shot dead in Saginaw after police say one of her friends vomited on the suspected killer's car

A Texas veterinarian was shot dead over the weekend after police say one of her girlfriends threw up next to the suspected gunman's car.

According to investigators, 24-year-old Jeffrey Hansana shot Dr Deidra Blackmon, 33, in the head just minutes after she and her girlfriends had a verbal argument with a woman who was with him.



Blackmon, of Grapevine, was rushed to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Wayne early Sunday morning, where she was pronounced dead a short time later.



Hansana, of Haltom City, and his girlfriend, 22-year-old Heather Rene Thompson, of Euless, were arrested Monday by police acting on a tip, Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.



Hansana faces a murder charge, while Thompson will be charged with failure to report a felony, according to police.



The 24-year-old suspected shooter and his girlfriend are being held on $250,000 and $10,000 bail, respectively.

On Saturday night, Blackmon was out with two female friends having drinks in honor of one of the women who is scheduled to get married this week.

The trio left the Stockyards district shortly after midnight, heading north in Blackmon's Lexus towards Saginaw.

On the way, the friends pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store in Valero.

Busted: Jeffrey Hansana, 24, left, faces a murder charge in Blackmon's shooting, while his girlfriend, 22-year-old Heather Thompson, right, will be charged with failure to report a felony



Crime scene: The shooter fired five rounds, with one of the bullets going through the rear passenger window of Blackmon's Lexus and striking her in the head Lead: Tips generated from the release of these surveillance photos showing Thompson leaving a convenience store helped investigators capture the couple

Blackmon went into the store, and a few seconds later, Hansana's girlfriend followed her inside. Police do not believe the women exchanged any words at that point.

The 33-year-old emerged a short time later, and so did Thompson. In the meantime, one of Blackmon's friends vomited next to Hansana's car.



Saginaw Police Chief Roger Macon said some words were exchanged between Thompson and the three women from the other car, but officials do not believe Hansana took any part in the argument.

The suspect and his girlfriend pulled out of the parking lot, and Blackmon with her friends followed suit.



Just minutes later, Hansana allegedly drove up to Blackmon's Lexus in the 200 block of East Bailey Boswell Road in Saginaw and fired five times.



One of the rounds went through the read passenger window and struck the 33-year-old veterinarian in the head.



Sensless killing: Police believe Hansana, left, gunned down Blackmon after Thompson, right, had some words with the veterinarian and her two friends in an exchange sparked by the vomiting incident



The Lexus rolled into a nearby field, and that is when Blackmon’s passengers realized that she had been shot after seeing blood and called for help.



Hansana and Thompson fled the scene. As of Monday, the gun used in the shooting had not been recovered.



The next day, investigators released photos from a surveillance camera outside the convenience store in Valero showing Thompson, which they say helped them apprehend the couple after someone called in a tip.



Police are now trying to determine a motive behind the killing. Officials say they do not believe Hansana and Thompson had ever met Blackmon before Saturday, and there is nothing to suggest that the accused gunman was intoxicated at the time of the confrontation.

Animal lover: Blackmon's colleagues described her as completely dedicated to her work with animals both at the hospital and at home, where she lived with three cats, three dogs and a horse

Dr Bruce Nixon, chief of staff at Animal Emergency Hospital of North Texas where Blackmon had worked with small animals, said her colleagues were devastated by the news of the senseless slaying.

Nixon said Blackmon was scheduled to work the night shift at the hospital Saturday, but took time off to celebrate with her friends. She was the designated driver that night.



‘Her world revolved around her veterinary life,’ Nixon told the paper. ‘She was the one who would take care of other people's pets on nights, weekends and holidays.’

According to an E-newsletter released by Parkside Animal Hospital to announce the hiring of Dr Blackmon in June 2010, the 33-year-old graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A & M University earlier that year. She had worked at the clinic as a veterinary technician before enrolling in college.



The newsletter went on to say that Blackmon lived at the time in Keller with her husband Mark. It is unknown if she was still married at the time of her slaying.

