LAUREL HILL — Nearly five years have passed since Kierra Nakisha Ellison’s life was tragically cut short, but the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office is still asking the public for help in solving her murder.
On the night of Dec. 17, 2020, deputies responded to a report of a shooting on Cliff Gibson Road in Laurel Hill. They found 26-year-old Ellison of Hoke County deceased in the driver’s seat of her gray 2010 BMW. Investigators believe Ellison likely knew her killer or killers, and that the attack was not random.
Sgt. Detective Ronald Locklear said the area where Ellison was found is remote and desolate, making it unlikely anyone nearby heard the shooting. “The nearest house was probably a half-mile away,” he said. “We’re hoping someone has heard something just from people talking or knows something about what happened that night to help us find the person or people who did this.”
Investigators believe at least two other people were in the vehicle with Ellison before her death. Despite an ongoing investigation, no arrests have been made, and the case remains officially classified as cold. Authorities continue to follow leads and urge anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward.
Ellison’s mother, Tammy Ellison Baldwin, remembers her daughter as generous and caring. “She was a very giving and kind person,” Baldwin said in a 2021 interview. “We found out a lot about her since she’s been gone. People have come to us and shared the things she’d done for them, which we didn’t even know about. She was a hard worker and would have given the last of what she had to help someone else.”
Baldwin hopes more people will come forward so the family can finally have closure. “Anyone who has any information on what happened, please come forward,” she said. “I know my baby wasn’t perfect, and it doesn’t matter now. We just want to get this case solved so she can rest and we can have closure.”
A spokesperson for the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office said the department continues to pursue all leads. “We believe someone in the community has information that could help us identify the person or persons responsible for Kierra’s death,” the spokesperson said. “No detail is too small. Even the smallest tip could make a big difference.”
Law enforcement is also encouraging residents to use the Scotland Crimestoppers program, which allows tips to be submitted anonymously. If information leads to an arrest, tipsters may be eligible for a reward.
Anyone with information about Ellison’s death is urged to contact the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office at (910) 266-4332 or leave an anonymous tip with Scotland Crimestoppers at 910-266-8149.