Left inset: Susan Gehrke (AZ Family/YouTube). Right inset: Dahseir Jefferson (Pima County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Arizona apartment complex where cops say Tucson grandmother Susan Gehrke was fatally punched by Dahseir Jefferson (AZ Family/YouTube).
An Arizona grandmother who beat cancer twice was killed by a violent convict who punched the 61-year-old in the face, leaving her “unrecognizable” to her family before she died, cops and relatives say.
Susan Gehrke, of Tucson, was hit so hard by her attacker, 27-year-old Dahseir Jefferson, that her dentures shattered and flew out of her mouth, according to a probable cause statement obtained by Law&Crime.
Gehrke was hospitalized late last month after Jefferson, who is charged with murder, punched and fatally injured her on July 24. Family members confirmed to AZ Family on Friday that she died less than a week later on July 29.
“We had my 15-year-old son there with us [at the hospital] and he wanted to see her,” said Gehrke’s daughter, Felicia. “She was beat so bad. We went in. I was like, ‘He can’t come up here and see her. There’s no way.'”
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Gehrke’s family says she was “unrecognizable” after Jefferson’s attack, which unfolded at an apartment complex near North Alvernon Way and Speedway in Tucson, according to the probable cause statement. Gehrke was at the complex visiting her boyfriend.
Jefferson was allegedly knocking on a neighbor’s door before he punched Gehrke. Gehrke came outside and told him the resident was not home, according to the probable cause statement, which allegedly upset Jefferson.
“[Jefferson] started cussing her out,” recounted Frankie Zills, Gehrke’s grandson.
Gehrke’s boyfriend “stepped out” of his apartment and “briefly argued” with Jefferson before getting hit first, the probable cause statement says.
“[Jefferson] punched [the boyfriend] on the face, causing him to fall back and hit his head on the sidewalk,” the statement alleges. “[Gehrke] walked over to check on [the boyfriend], who was on the ground. [Jefferson] then punched [Gehrke] on the face.”
Gehrke’s boyfriend suffered a laceration under his left eye, a large head contusion and scrapes to his back and knee. He was hospitalized in critical condition.
Police say Gehrke fell to the ground and also hit her head. She suffered a brain bleed and had to be intubated.
“My grandma is not a person that likes being around confrontation, so she probably just wanted to get him up and go inside,” Frankie Zills told AZ Family. “She’s an old lady.”
According to court records, Jefferson has a lengthy criminal history that includes a third-degree burglary conviction in 2019, an aggravated assault conviction in 2021, and convictions while in prison on charges of disorderly conduct, weapon possession, tampering with a security or safety device, disobeying an order, possession of a communication device, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession or manufacture of an intoxicating substance.
“How many innocent people and family members have to be taken before the state figures out that you can’t rehabilitate people like this?” said Frankie Zills.
A GoFundMe launched for Gehrke’s family describes her as a “beacon of light to everyone who knew her” and someone who overcame battles with cancer.
“After beating cancer twice, her life was taken by a violent individual with prior criminal charges of violence,” the online fundraiser says. “She was just on the brink of retiring — a milestone she had worked so hard for and was so excited to finally enjoy. … Making this even harder, her 62nd birthday is right around the corner, August 3rd. Instead of celebrating this special day together and planning her retirement party, we are now forced to plan her funeral.”
Jefferson is due in court for his arraignment on Aug. 11. He is facing a charge of second-degree murder.
The post Grandma beat cancer twice just to get punched to death by random man who sent her dentures flying, made her ‘unrecognizable’ before she died: Family first appeared on Law & Crime.
