Miami

‘I Knew She Was Gone': Mother Who Witnessed Miami-Dade JCC Murder Speaks

Shandell Harris, 30, killed in Sunday shooting, husband facing murder charge

NBC Universal, Inc.

A woman who witnessed her daughter being gunned down at a Miami-Dade Jewish community center over the weekend is speaking out, as her son-in-law is facing a murder charge in the killing.

Dulcinea Everett had gone to the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center on Sunday with daughter Shandell Harris to attend Everett's granddaughter's swimming lesson.

Watch NBC6 free wherever you are

Watch button  WATCH HERE

Miami-Dade Police officials said at some point, 45-year-old Carl Watts, Harris' husband, showed up and fatally shot Harris on the pool deck, killing her.

"When I looked I knew she was gone," Everett said Thursday.

Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.

Newsletter button  SIGN UP
A man accused of fatally shooting his wife at a Jewish community center in Miami-Dade over the weekend is a person of interest in the 2014 disappearance of a young mother. NBC 6's Cristian Benavides reports

The shooting was the culmination of a violent weekend involving Watts and the 30-year-old Harris.

The day before the shooting, Watts had stabbed Harris at their North Miami Apartment, police said.

Harris was able to get away and went to Everett's house, where they called police.

Everett said Watts was outside her home but when police arrived, he drove away.

"He was here!" Everett said. "We yelling at the police 'that's him, that's him! He just stabbed my daughter!"

Police searched for Watts but were unable to find him. The next day at the JCC, Watts confronted Harris about the stabbing, her mother said.

"I was holding her and he said he had money in his hand, 'what can I do to make this charge go away?'" Everett said. "She said 'first of all, you need to back up.'"

Moments later, the shooting happened.

A woman was shot and killed by her husband while her child was taking swimming lessons at the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center Sunday afternoon, Miami-Dade Police officials said. Family members identified the victim as 30-year-old Shandell Harris.

"He pulled out his gun and went to shooting," Everett said. "She ran and he just walked behind her and just kept shooting."

Police said Watts shot Harris until he ran out of bullets. He was arrested at the JCC and faces a second-degree murder charge in the shooting.

After his arrest, it was learned that Watts was a person of interest in the 2014 disappearance of his ex-girlfriend Trukita Scott.

Scott, a 24-year-old mother of two at the time, had been last seen in Miami Gardens on June 25 of that year and remains missing.

A man accused of killed his wife at a Jewish community center may be linked to a former girlfriend's murder back in 2009. NBC 6's Cristian Benavides reports

Watts was questioned at the time of Scott's disappearance but never charged in the case.

On Wednesday, family members of another of Watts' ex-girlfriends, said they believe he had something to do with her killing.

Vickie Simmons, a 25-year-old mother of two at the time, was found slain at a North Miami motel back in 2009.

Sister Lashon Jones said Simmons and Watts had been dating but she started to have second thoughts about their relationship and they had a falling out.

Shortly after the falling out, Simmons was found dead at the motel.

Miami-Dade Police said they are revisiting the Simmons case.

Everett said the only bright spot for her is that Watts is behind bars.

"The loss of my baby feels like a sacrifice, it’s giving other parents closure that would’ve never happened," she said.

Carl Watts Jr.
Miami-Dade Corrections
Carl Watts Jr.
Contact Us