TEXAS CITY, Texas — Surrounded by a supportive family outside her only daughter’s house, Shametria Richard spoke with us about 33-year-old Brittany Richard and the night she died.
According to the Texas City Police Department, Brittany was fatally stabbed around 12:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, inside the Time Out Sports Bar #5.
Her mother didn't make it to the hospital in time to say goodbye.
"When I touched her body, close to 2 o’clock, she was cold,” Shametria said.
The attack happened near the end of an evening that included several stops while celebrating a cousin’s birthday. Shametria said a younger cousin was attacked first and stabbed by two women when she walked out of a restroom. When Brittany rushed to defend her, the family says she was stabbed nine times.
"No one’s child deserves to die like that, no one," Shametria said. "And it’s wrong and it was horrific, and it was just terrible.”
She says the accused killer, 35-year-old Shynice Felder, is Brittany's estranged husband's girlfriend.
Felder was arrested in Houston this week and taken to the Galveston County Jail. A judge set her bond at a total of $450,000 on two separate charges.
"One is a charge of murder and the other is a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon,” said the magistrate.
Felder is also accused of injuring one of Brittany’s cousins.
Her family said Brittany died the same day she was supposed to have signed divorce papers and that Felder was her soon-to-be-ex’s girlfriend.
They added the two women never had any prior altercations and that the attack inside the bar was unprovoked.
"If I could ask her anything, I’d ask her “why?” said Shametria Richard. "And why that night?”
Shamtria said Brittany was planning to sign divorce papers on the same day that she died.
In addition to being a mom to a 13-year-old and 9-year-old, Brittany was a popular employee for the City of La Marque where she worked as an accountant.
The family said a vigil will take place there next Thursday.
Brittany's funeral will be held on the 14th.
"We’re just trying to hold on to our last memories of being happy, loving on each other," said cousin Mikeshia Turner. "And we just want justice.”
The family set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for expenses and support Brittany's children.