Woman steals from former police officer who collapsed and died, Tennessee cops say
A woman stole from a former police officer who collapsed and died, using the money to splurge on shoes and salons, Tennessee cops said.
The Memphis Police Department told news outlets the woman was arguing with the retired officer and asked for money. After he went inside his home to get $10, he reportedly came out and collapsed near his car.
That’s when police said the woman went into the man’s home as two people slept inside, taking his wallet and cellphone. She’s also accused of coming back outside to dig through his pockets and take the $10 off the ground.
The woman reportedly told police she used the former officer’s phone to send $1,500 to herself. She put that money toward shoes and visits to nail and hair salons, officers wrote in an affidavit.
Police found the man’s body in a driveway after responding to a Memphis neighborhood Sunday, July 9.
He was identified as Mark LeSure, a retired homicide sergeant who served in the U.S. Army and had been on the police force from 1992 to 2021, according to social media profiles and The Commercial Appeal. His last name was stylized as Lesure in the affidavit.
LeSure’s cause of death was being investigated, police spokesperson Theresa Carlson told The Commercial Appeal.
In their search for clues near the retired officer’s home, police said they found surveillance camera footage that caught the woman talking on the phone, saying: “We are going to see who knows the law.” Police received a “911 hang-up call” from the neighborhood around that same time, WREG reported.
Officers said the emergency call came from the phone of the 27-year-old woman, who faces charges of aggravated burglary, identity theft and theft of property.
The Memphis Police Department didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on July 12.
This story was originally published July 12, 2023 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Woman steals from former police officer who collapsed and died, Tennessee cops say."
