Reported argument over cat with roommate leads to fatal stabbing of nursing student

USA Today

06-05-2025

Reported argument over cat with roommate leads to fatal stabbing of nursing student The nursing student, who went by Tami Dollars on TikTok, died days before she was set to graduate from university, according to a GoFundMe created for her funeral.
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A man is accused of fatally stabbing his roommate, a British nursing student and content creator, over two dozen times at their Houston apartment, authorities say. The incident reportedly stemmed from an argument over his cat.
Chester Lamar Grant, 40, was charged with murder on May 3 after Houston police found Elizabeth Tamilore Odunsi, 23, on her apartment's kitchen floor suffering from 28 stab wounds, Harris County court records say.
Before finding Odunsi, officers were called to check on the apartment around 3:50 p.m. on April 26, Houston police said. When officers knocked on the door and did not receive an answer, they noticed blood on the rear concrete patio, prompting them to enter the apartment, according to the department.
When officers saw Odunsi on the kitchen floor with multiple stab wounds, they also found Grant in a bedroom with at least one stab wound, police said. Paramedics pronounced Odunsi dead at the scene, while Grant was taken to a hospital in critical condition, the department added.
Argument over cat reportedly led to Grant allegedly killing Odunsi
A Harris County judge gave Grant a $500,000 bond, court records show. During the bond hearing, the judge commented on why Grant got the bond he did, including what led to his alleged actions.
"The allegations in this case allege he stabbed his female roommate 28 times, killing her over some disagreement over his cat," the judge said, per KHOU and ABC 13 reported. "So, this is an allegedly extremely brutal murder with an extensive history of violence, which I find to be an extreme danger to the community."
According to county court records, Grant has multiple convictions in Washington state for domestic violence, with his most recent being on Sept. 6, 2023.
USA TODAY contacted Grant's defense attorney on May 6 but has not received a response. His next court hearing is scheduled for May 7.
'A beautiful soul, full of light, ambition, and kindness'
A GoFundMe was started for Odunsi, who was known on TikTok as Tami Dollars or "TD," and it describes the nursing student as a "beloved sister, daughter, and friend."
"Tami was a beautiful soul, full of light, ambition, and kindness. She was just 23 years old," the fundraiser page reads. "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."
According to the GoFundMe page, Odunsi moved from the United Kingdom to the U.S. to "pursue her dream of becoming a nurse." Her death came days before she was set to graduate from university, the page says.
"An unimaginable loss at a moment that should have marked the beginning of a bright and promising future," the fundraiser says. "Tami touched so many lives in her short time here."
So far, the page has surpassed its goal of £40,000 and raised over £65,000. The money will go toward bringing Odunsi home from the U.S. to the UK so "she can be laid to rest surrounded by her family and loved ones."
Tami Dollars has over 48,000 TikTok followers
Odunsi's Tami Dollars TikTok account has over 48,000 followers, with her posts consistently getting hundreds of thousands of views.
Her final post came on April 21, and it included text that read: "23 year old BSN grad in 2 weeks. Vacations booked. Summer is 14 days away. Starting to look human again." The caption for the post says, "I'm readyyyyyyyyyyyyy #nursingstudent #nursegraduate #tamidollars."
Odunsi's other recent posts prior to her death involved her giving advice to other nursing students, including what they should do before graduating, such as researching places they'd like to work.
Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [e-mail].