A 23-year-old nursing student in Texas was stabbed to death by her roommate over a conflict about their cats. The grieving family of Elizabeth “Tami” Odunsi has filed a lawsuit against the management company of the rental property, claiming their negligence in pairing the two individuals as roommates.
The tragic incident unfolded on April 26 when 40-year-old Chester Lamar Grant stabbed UK native, Odunsi, 24 times. Grant and Odunsi had been living together for a few months, but tension escalated between them, which led to Odunsi’s tragic end. As reported by Law & Crime, Grant had become “more aggressive” toward Odunsi and they often argued about their cats. As per the report, Grant once “poured a liquid” on her face and even slapped her cellphone out of her hand. After the violent altercation, Odunsi approached Houston police. However, the authorities didn’t make the arrest, as per the lawsuit by the victim’s family.
26 April 2025: Elizabeth Tamilore (Tami) Odunsi, 23, originally from London, was stabbed to death at her apartment in Texas, United States. Her flatmate, Chester Lamar Grant, 40, has been charged with her murder. pic.twitter.com/PKHhNyPpa7
— CountingDeadWomen (@CountDeadWomen) May 7, 2025
As Odunsi started worrying about her safety, she contacted the management company called For a Place to Live LLC, which was responsible for pairing them. She had allegedly requested for a Zoom meeting to express her concerns. The meeting was scheduled for 3 pm on April 26. However, the company in question cancelled the meeting two hours before its commencement, which has led to accusations of negligence in the lawsuit.
On the fateful afternoon, Odunsi had just returned to the apartment from her last clinical session before her graduation. She called up her parents, John and Adenike Odunsi, as she was fearful that Grant might do something to her. As soon as she entered the apartment, Grant confronted her.
#FBA #ADOS xenophobic black – #whitesupremacist Chester Lamar Grant stabbed to death Londoner Elizabeth Odunsi, 23, known to friends and family as Tami. Who was due to graduate as a nurse. CAN WE CHECK HIS SOCIAL MEDIA FOR LINKS TO FBA/ADOS leader @tariqnasheed pic.twitter.com/6lhM7j3KB9
— ABC-Diaspora (@DiasporaAbc) May 10, 2025
As per the lawsuit, the roommates got into verbal altercation which soon turned physical. “John and Adenike heard Elizabeth scream and cry for help. Then, Elizabeth’s phone went dead,” says the lawsuit.
Her parents, who live in the UK, immediately contacted a family friend who lives in Houston and requested to check up on their daughter. Meanwhile, they also called the cops. When cops barged into the apartment, they found Odunsi “unconscious on the kitchen floor, covered in blood.”
As per the lawsuit, the young nursing student was stabbed 24 times. After brutally killing Odunsi, Grant tried to take his own life but survived the attempt. He was taken into custody and is now locked up in the Harris County Jail.
The attorneys of the victim’s family have claimed in their lawsuit that the management company failed to adequately vet Grant’s background. They allege that the company breached its duty of care by approving Grant’s application despite his “extensive criminal history,” which included domestic violence convictions. The company also failed to take Odunsi’s complaints against Grant seriously and “cancelled a meeting that may have saved her life.”
Troy J. Pradia, the family’s attorney, said that his assistant’s google search provided details of Grant’s previous convictions. In a conversation with local NBC affiliate KPRC, the lawyer said, “So, it was just that easy for them to find out what happened and what he was doing prior to him moving in with Tami.”
“We’re here today, just seeking justice for the family… I don’t know what I would do if something like this happened to my daughter,” he added.
Odunsi was set to graduate from the nursing school in a few days. Her family said in a press conference, “Tami was a beautiful soul, full of light, ambition, and kindness,” the fundraiser reads. “She was just 23 years old. A devoted Christian, she was a God-fearing young woman who found strength and joy in her faith. She had a deep love for her church community, where she was actively involved and always eager to serve others with humility and grace.”
