Woman Shot & Killed Man at Boulevard Homes

Update: CMPD reports Westbrook and Taylor were not brother and sister- only acquaintances. I spoke with a Sergeant in the Westover Division who advised CMPD has implemented a police task force in the area of the Boulevard Homes community to help cut crime in the area. According to the Sergeant, most of the crime in the area is committed by people who do not live in the public housing complex and police are doing everything they can to reduce crime in this struggling area of Charlotte.

Around 4:30 this afternoon, CMPD Westover Division officers were dispatched to Boulevard Homes, located at 1615 Burnette Ave in reference to one shot. When police arrived at the scene, they found Robert Griffin Taylor, 55, shot to death.

CMPD Homicide Detectives have arrested and charged Barbara Ann Westbrook, 46, with Murder. Police say the shooting stemmed from a verbal altercation between the victim and suspect.

Barbara Westbrook has a long criminal history. According to DOC records, Westbrook served jail time from 1979-1983 for common law robbery. She received probation for an assault with a deadly weapon charge in 1986 & for a DUI charge in 1990. In 1992, she was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon- inflicting serious injury. She was convicted of this charge in 1994 and she spent just over 2 years in jail. In 2001, she received a misdemeanor assault charge and received probation.

According to yesterday's arrest information, Westbrook lived at 1615 Burnette Ave. I would love to know why the Charlotte Housing Authority allows convicted felons to live in government backed housing. This is the second resident criminal this year to commit murder at a Charlotte Housing Authority property!

Photographer Jonathan Jones was at the scene and provided the shown photos: