Mother of murdered 14-year-old speaks out about her loss

The mother of a 14-year-old shot and killed outside a Nashville apartment last week is speaking out about the loss of her son.

An emotional Catrina Gentry spoke with News 2 about her son Ladarrius Gentry’s hopes and goals.

“He loved basketball. He was looking forward to going to White’s Creek to play basketball. He would always say ‘mamma are you going to come to my games?’ I told him ‘baby, I’m going to be at every game,’” said Gentry.

Shatara Jones, 25, confessed to killing Gentry last Friday at a Nashville apartment complex. Jones said she met Gentry to buy drugs and opened fire after they got into a fight.

Gentry’s mother told News 2 her son didn’t deserve to die.

“He wasn’t a bad child. Ladarrius was loving, he was caring and that’s my baby and I’m going to miss him,” said Gentry.

Ladarrius Gentry’s stepfather Charles Woodard, who was also grieving from the loss, shared a message for area youth.

“All these young kids out here 13, 14 years old, get out here, go to school, listen to your parents and do what’s right because if you don’t, you never know what position you are going to be in,” he said.

Ladarrius Gentry’s funeral will be held Friday at Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church.

His mother told News 2 she is struggling to pay for funeral expenses and set up a GoFundMe page to help with costs here.

-WKRN