Anitra West was killed outside a Memphis Church’s Chicken in 2024 after a food-order dispute that investigators reconstructed through witnesses and video.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A drive-thru argument at a Memphis Church’s Chicken that escalated into the fatal shooting of employee Anitra West has ended more than two years later with a guilty plea and a 30-year prison sentence for Monica Williams.
Williams, 47, pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder in the July 8, 2024, death of West, 48. She also admitted to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said. The plea brought the criminal case to a close after investigators relied on restaurant surveillance footage and accounts from people who witnessed or heard portions of the confrontation.
The encounter began while West was working at the Church’s Chicken on Park Avenue in Memphis’ Orange Mound neighborhood. Authorities said Williams arrived at the drive-thru and became involved in a dispute with West concerning a food order. The women did not know each other before the encounter, according to Memphis police information reported by Action News 5.
Williams drove away after the argument, while West later stepped outside the restaurant to get some air, according to the arrest affidavit. West was speaking by phone with a friend during the confrontation and afterward. That friend later provided investigators with an account of what she had heard during the call.
Investigators said the vehicle connected to the earlier dispute returned to the parking lot while West was outside. A short time later, a gunshot was heard. Workers at the restaurant found West outside and called 911. Police officers arrived at the Park Avenue location shortly after 9 p.m., and West was taken to Regional One Hospital, where she died.
Surveillance video became an important part of the investigation. Police released images of a woman described as having purple hair and a teal-colored compact SUV as they sought information about the shooting. Investigators also interviewed witnesses and people connected to the vehicle while building the case.
Williams was arrested about a week after West’s death and initially charged with first-degree murder. The case remained pending for more than two years before Williams entered the guilty plea to second-degree murder. Shelby County prosecutors announced Monday that the plea and firearm conviction resulted in an effective sentence of 30 years.
West’s death drew attention to a woman her relatives remembered for a strong commitment to work and family. Her parents said after the shooting that West was one of six children and described her as someone who consistently showed up for coworkers and customers. Her former husband, Loranzo West, has also spoken publicly about the effect she had on people around her.
The latest court action changes the status of a case that began as a homicide investigation and later became a first-degree murder prosecution. With Williams’ guilty plea and sentencing, prosecutors will not have to take the original murder charge to trial. The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said Associate Deputy District Attorney Monica Timmerman handled the prosecution.
Williams’ effective 30-year sentence marks the final announced criminal disposition in the case. Prosecutors released no further court proceedings connected to her plea in announcing the sentence Monday.
Author note: Last updated September 22, 2026.