The father of Atatiana Jefferson has died, the Associated Press reports.
Spokesperson Bruce Carter told the Dallas Morning News that Marquis Jefferson fell victim to a heart attack and died on Saturday at a Dallas area hospital. "Less than a month ago, he was working at El Centro, mentoring kids twice a week," Carter said. "He just couldn’t get back from what happened with his daughter."
Jefferson's daughter was shot and killed by Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean in her home on Oct. 12. Jefferson had been vocal about the circumstances surrounding his daughter's murder prior to his death. "Her mother called me yesterday morning. She say, ‘Tay was shot," Jefferson told the local CBS-affiliate. "I mean it’s senseless. My daughter was 28. My daughter was 28 years old. Had her whole life in front of her.... You have to know that was somebody’s daughter. Somebody loved her and there was a better way. It didn’t have to be like that."
His daughter's death also threw him into a family dispute. Jefferson postponed Atatiana's funeral because he had asked a judge to give him "full authority to make arrangements for the funeral and burial." He was also seeking a temporary restraining order for Atatiana's aunt. The judge ruled in his favor and on Oct. 24 his daughter was laid to rest under his direction.
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