Jury Convicts Man of Voluntary Manslaughter in the Killing of Memphis Woman

Shelby County, TN – After a short deliberation, a Shelby County jury found Samuel Ward guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Paris Lee, concluding a case that revealed inconsistencies between the defendant’s claims and the physical evidence presented in court.

According to testimony, Ward went to Lee’s home, where a verbal altercation occurred. The victim, Paris Lee, asked Ward to leave. During the confrontation, Ward claimed that Lee pointed a gun at him while they were at the top of a staircase, causing him to fall backward. He told police that he then drew his own weapon and fired upward from the bottom of the stairs, striking Lee.

However, physical evidence and expert testimony from Medical Examiner Dr. D. Van Pelt contradicted Ward’s version of events. Lee was shot six times, and the trajectories of the gunshot wounds did not align with the defendant’s statement. Additionally, Ward had no visible injuries, undermining his claim of self-defense.

The prosecution presented a key witness, Tarik Hunter, Lee’s best friend, who testified about a phone call with Lee during the incident. Hunter told the jury he could hear Ward yelling in the background and that Lee repeatedly asked him to leave.

Ward’s conduct following the shooting also raised concerns. After firing his weapon, Ward left the scene and drove approximately 30 minutes to his home before calling 911—leaving Lee to die at the foot of her staircase. Testimony from the MPD officer, who initially interviewed Ward, confirmed this sequence of events.

Ward claimed self-defense throughout the trial, but the jury rejected his narrative and found him guilty.

Sentencing is scheduled for a later date.

Prosecutors Regina Lucreziano and Monica Timmerman handled the trial.