Community members gather to remember Elizabeth Odunsi during a candlelight vigil.
Elizabeth Tamilore Odunsi, a 23-year-old British nursing student, was fatally stabbed in her Houston apartment just days before her graduation. Authorities discovered her body during a welfare check. The suspect, Chester Lamar Grant, was her roommate and was found injured in the same apartment. He has been arrested and charged with murder. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of international students. A GoFundMe campaign is underway to help return Odunsi’s body to the UK for burial.
Elizabeth Tamilore Odunsi, a 23-year-old nursing student from the United Kingdom, was tragically stabbed to death in her Houston apartment just days before her graduation from Texas Woman’s University. The incident occurred on April 26, 2023, in the 6500 block of Goforth Street, located on Houston’s south side.
Houston Police Department (HPD) patrol officers received a call around 3:50 p.m. for a welfare check at the apartment complex due to concerns raised about Odunsi’s well-being. Upon arrival, officers attempted to make contact by knocking on her door but received no reply. Noticing blood on the rear concrete patio, the officers decided to enter the unit. Inside, they discovered the shocking scene of Odunsi lying on the kitchen floor with multiple stab wounds.
In the same apartment, a 40-year-old man named Chester Lamar Grant was found in a bedroom with at least one stab wound. Odunsi was pronounced dead at the scene, while Grant was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Following an investigation, Grant was arrested on May 2, 2023, and charged with murder in connection with Odunsi’s death. He remains in custody at the Harris County Jail with a bond set at $500,000.
Detectives revealed that Odunsi and Grant had been living together as roommates for approximately two months prior to the incident. Reports indicate that a prior argument regarding the care of cats they shared escalated into violence. In a distressing turn of events, Grant allegedly attempted to take his own life by stabbing himself six times following the attack on Odunsi before being hospitalized.
As news of Odunsi’s death spread, a GoFundMe page was created to assist in bringing her body back to the UK for burial. The fundraising campaign has successfully raised over £65,000, allowing her family to give her a dignified farewell.
Odunsi was known for her active presence on social media, particularly on TikTok, where she had garnered over 45,000 followers. She frequently shared content related to her experiences as a nursing student, embodying the aspirations and dreams of many young people pursuing careers in healthcare. Tributes have poured in from friends and followers, celebrating her as a kind and ambitious individual dedicated to helping others.
Odunsi’s untimely death has sent shockwaves through both the local community in Houston and her home country of the UK. Having moved to the United States to pursue her educational ambitions, she represented the hopes and aspirations of countless international students. Her commitment to becoming a nurse highlighted the critical role healthcare professionals play, especially during challenging times shown through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The incident has also sparked conversations about safety and support for international students living in unfamiliar environments. It serves as a reminder of the importance of fostering safe living conditions and mental health resources for students who may be navigating personal challenges along with their academic pursuits.
As authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic event, the memory of Elizabeth Tamilore Odunsi is sure to endure as a beacon of hope and determination for many aspiring medical professionals.
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