Tara Correa-McMullen was a young actress who had a promising career ahead of her. She appeared in the movie Rebound and had a recurring role on the TV show Judging Amy as a former gang member. However, her life was cut short by a tragic incident that shocked the entertainment industry and the public. Here is the story of Tara Correa-McMullen’s cause of death and the aftermath of her murder.
Early Life and Career
Tara Correa-McMullen was born on May 24, 1989 in Westminster, Vermont to Mary Devra Correa and Thomas McMullen. She had an older sister named Abigail. In 1996, she and her family moved to Southern California and settled in Venice, a neighborhood of Los Angeles. Tara attended Claremont Middle School and later Venice High School, where she sang in the school’s choir.
Tara had no acting experience prior to landing her first film role in Rebound, a comedy starring Martin Lawrence. Her mother, who was working for a casting company at the time, recommended her daughter for the role. Tara played a basketball player named Big Mac in the film, which was released in 2005.
Tara’s performance in Rebound caught the attention of the producers of Judging Amy, a CBS drama series about a family court judge. Tara was cast as Graciela Reyes, a young gang member who was trying to turn her life around. Tara appeared in several episodes of the show’s sixth season, which aired from 2005 to 2006.
Tara also had a small role in one episode of Zoey 101, a popular Nickelodeon sitcom starring Jamie Lynn Spears. Tara played a girl named Mandy in the episode “The Election”, which aired in 2005.
Murder and Investigation
In early 2005, Tara moved into her own apartment in Inglewood, a suburb of Los Angeles. She began dating a gang member who was ten years older than her. According to some sources, Tara was also involved in gang activities herself.
On the evening of October 21, 2005, Tara was standing outside her apartment complex with two men, Justin Avery and Lavon Davis. A car drove by and opened fire at the group, hitting all three of them. Tara was shot several times in the chest and abdomen. She tried to run inside the building for safety, but collapsed on the stairs. She was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 16 years old.
The two men who were with Tara survived the shooting, but suffered serious injuries. Avery was shot in the arm and Davis was shot in the leg. They were taken to a hospital for treatment.
The police suspected that the shooting was gang-related and that Tara and her companions were targeted by rival gang members. They launched an investigation and searched for the suspects and the vehicle involved in the shooting.
On March 1, 2006, the police arrested Damien Watts, a 20-year-old gang member, and charged him with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Watts was already in custody for a separate shooting case that occurred in November 2005. The police also identified a second suspect, Joseph Wayne Jones, who was also a gang member and an accomplice of Watts. Jones was arrested on March 30, 2006 and faced the same charges as Watts.
Trial and Conviction
The trial of Watts and Jones began in January 2009. The prosecution presented evidence that linked the two suspects to the shooting, such as eyewitness testimony, ballistics analysis, and DNA samples. The defense argued that the evidence was insufficient and that the witnesses were unreliable.
On January 23, 2009, the jury found Watts guilty of all charges. On February 27, 2009, he was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole. Jones was also convicted of all charges and received the same sentence as Watts.
The judge who presided over the case, Curtis Rappe, expressed his sorrow and anger over the senseless killing of Tara and the wounding of Avery and Davis. He said that the defendants showed no remorse and that they deserved the maximum punishment.
Legacy and Tribute
Tara Correa-McMullen’s death was a tragic loss for her family, friends, and fans. She was remembered as a talented and beautiful young woman who had a bright future ahead of her. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles.
Tara’s mother, Mary Devra Correa, said that she was proud of her daughter’s achievements and that she hoped that her death would raise awareness about the dangers of gang violence. She also said that she forgave the killers of her daughter and that she prayed for them.
Tara’s co-stars and colleagues from Judging Amy also paid tribute to her and expressed their grief and shock over her death. Amy Brenneman, who played the title role of Judge Amy Gray, said that Tara was a “sweet, funny, and smart” girl who had a lot of potential. Tyne Daly, who played Amy’s mother Maxine Gray, said that Tara was a “lovely young actress” who was “full of light and hope”. Dan Futterman, who played Amy’s brother Vincent Gray, said that Tara was a “wonderful kid” who was “always smiling and laughing”.
In 2007, Tara Correa-McMullen was profiled on the E! documentary series Boulevard of Broken Dreams, which featured the stories of celebrities who died young or under tragic circumstances. The episode, titled “Gone Too Soon”, aired on February 18, 2007.
Tara Correa-McMullen’s cause of death was a tragic result of gang violence that claimed the life of a rising star. Her story serves as a reminder of the dangers and consequences of living in a violent environment and the need for prevention and intervention programs to help at-risk youth. Tara’s legacy lives on through her work and her memory.
