The Murder of Esscence Christal

Esscence Christal was only 21 years-old when she was murdered on November 26th, 2011. The young mother was shot during the early morning hours while she was driving on Broad Street in Providence, Rhode Island. 

There were two men in the car with Esscence; one of them was said to be her boyfriend at the time. Esscence and the two men were reportedly followed a dark-colored four door car after leaving a store. Whoever was in that car eventually pulled up next to the car Esscence was driving and began shooting. Esscence then crashed the car into a tree, causing it to flip over. She was pronounced dead on the scene. The two men in the car with Esscence were treated for minor injuries. The killer fled the scene after the brutal shooting and remains unidentified to this day. 

There has been very little information about Esscence's case in the media. Four years after Esscence's death, in 2015, her mother Diana Garlington shed more light on the circumstances leading up to the murder. Diana told reporters that Esscence's boyfriend - one of the men in the car with her on the night of her death - was allegedly abusive. He was also reportedly the target of another shooting just a week before Esscence was shot.

Diana also stated that this man forced Esscence to leave with him on the night of her death. She explained, "The night it happened, he went to my sister's house where [Esscence] was staying, he forced her into his car, and took her to a store on Broad Street.  I was told by a witness, the last account of what I heard, was that an SUV started following them when Esscence got behind the wheel of the car when they left.  Then they started firing at the car, and she was the only one of the car who got shot."

The police also told Esscence's family members that there are other witnesses, but nobody has come forward. There are no known suspects or persons of interest in the case at this time and Esscence's murder remains unsolved. Her family is pleading for answers. If you have any information that could help solve Esscence's case, please call 1-855-776-7100 to submit an anonymous tip. 

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Sources:
Go Local Prov
Providence Journal