‘She didn’t deserve this,’ Elaysha Gilliam, pregnant mother of four, killed at 26
Whenever Ed Gilliam was having a tough time, no matter what the situation, he knew he could always rely on a smile from his daughter, Elaysha Gilliam, to turn his day around.
He watched over the years as his daughter had kids of her own and saw how her smile brightened the lives of her four children.
“She had this big personality and an even bigger smile that made you forget everything,” he says. “Her smile is what I think I will miss the most.”
Gilliam, who was 12 weeks pregnant with her fifth child, was found dead Feb. 19 at the age of 26. Her body was discovered near the 3600 block of Oakley Avenue. The death is being investigated as a homicide.
With almost a month passing since his daughter’s death, her father hopes that anyone with information on the case will come forward to police.
“We are trying to stay strong for the grandkids, but it is really hard because she was really loved and nobody really has any answers as to what happened,” he says.
He says his daughter worked hard to provide for her children, who were the most important things in her life. He hopes for justice in his daughter’s case and that her death will not become just another unsolved homicide statistic.
“She didn’t deserve this,” says Gilliam’s father. “She had a heart of gold and meant the world to so many people.”
He and his family now find themselves navigating a life without the passionate young mother with the big smile who brought joy and laughter to everyone she encountered. He is deeply saddened he will never get to meet his unborn grandchild. He says he will continue to keep her memory alive for her children.
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Her passion for music and dancing made her the life of any party. Her father will always remember the ability she had to completely change the atmosphere of any room she walked into and turned it into one of fun and love.
“She loved to be around family,” says her father. “She loved the togetherness of when we were all sitting around eating, talking and laughing together.”
He says anyone who knew his daughter will miss the hours of conversation that she shared with so many people. She was known as the person within her circle of friends and family who people turned to for a kind word and motivation.
Many people posted messages of shock and condolences on social media.
“I miss you! Words can’t express how much I miss your voice and your random I love you’s.”
“I love you sister so bad if I knew Super Bowl Sunday was my last time seeing you I would’ve hugged & talked to u longer.”
“You will truly be missed you had a beautiful soul much love love you.”
“I hope the people who did this would turn themselves in and take responsibility for their actions,” says Gilliam. “I hope that if anyone knows anything that they will do the right thing because my daughter was a beautiful person who didn’t deserve this.”
Other Remembrances
John Mosley, Sr.
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John Mosley Sr., father and retired General Electric worker, died Feb. 19. He was 81.
Mosley was born on Feb. 16, 1943, to Curley Mosley and Carrie Dailey. He graduated high school in 1962 in Sidon, Mississippi, and went on to study political science at Natchez Junior College, earning an associate’s degree.
He traveled and lived several places throughout his life, including Chicago, Illinois where he worked for Zenith Televisionm and Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he retired from General Electric after 34 years.
Mosley and his wife, Mary Mosley, met in 1988 and married in 1990. They raised five children together. In 2019 Mosley and his family moved to Leavenworth., Kansas.
He is remembered by his wife; his children, Brenda Thomas, Aquashantina Young, Dashandi Graham, Theatria Coney; his brothers, Otis Thompson, Ulysses Thompson Jr. and Eugene Thompson; along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and grandchildren.
Edward Hornsby Jr.
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Edward Hornsby Jr., father and former DJ, died Feb. 18. He was 70.
Hornsby was born on Feb. 22, 1952, in Meridian, Mississippi, to Mary and Edward Hornby Sr.
His family relocated to Kansas City and he graduated from Southeast High School. He later enrolled in Texas Southern University and studied broadcast operations while working as a DJ at a local radio station.
His family will remember the passion Hornsby had for music. He loved many genres. Hornsby enjoyed going on trips and finding adventures that took him outside his comfort zone.
He is remembered by his son, Ryan W. Hornsby Sr; siblings, Jacqueline McKinney, Robert Daniels, Thomas Hornsby, Germaine Hornsby, Charlton Hornsby, Ann Kelly and Byron Hornsby.
This story was originally published March 18, 2024 at 4:24 PM.
