Tivona Fogg

Tivona Fogg, a 45-year-old Black woman remembered by her family as the glue that held them together, was a beloved mother and sister whose life was violently cut short on Christmas Day. Her loved ones described her as a source of strength, someone who kept the family united even through difficult times. She had been married for just over a year and was living with her husband in Hampton, Virginia.

The peace of the holiday was shattered on December 25, 2022, when family members grew concerned after being unable to reach her. Tivona’s daughter, Imani Cobb, was on her way to pick her mother up for Christmas celebrations. Tragically, she would not make it in time. Around 12:11 p.m., Hampton Police Division officers responded to a request for a welfare check at an apartment in the first block of Twin Lakes Circle. Inside, they found Tivona Fogg suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. She was pronounced deceased at the scene by members of the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue.

The investigation quickly focused on Tivona's husband, 46-year-old Lamont Lee Lewis. Initially named a person of interest, he was formally charged two days later with second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and discharging a firearm within a building. As police searched for Lewis, Tivona's family revealed a history of domestic violence, recounting an incident a month prior where Lewis had allegedly beaten her severely enough to require hospitalization.

As her family grieved, the community rallied in support. On the evening of December 28, about 100 friends, neighbors, and relatives gathered for a candlelit vigil outside Tivona’s apartment. They held pink and white balloons and embraced one another, sharing memories and prayers. "The violence has got to stop," her brother, Ramando Fogg, said to the crowd. "Everybody in the community, you’ve got to open up more to one another... we got to open up more to one another — no matter if you’re stressed, depression, whatever you’re going through.” A GoFundMe page was started by her daughter to help with funeral expenses.

A manhunt for Lamont Lee Lewis ended just over two weeks later in a fatal confrontation with law enforcement. On January 11, 2023, around 11:20 a.m., members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force located Lewis and conducted a traffic stop in Hampton. According to Hampton Police Chief Mark Talbot, when Lewis got out of his vehicle, he immediately began firing at the officers.

Task force members returned fire, and in the exchange, both Lewis and a Chesapeake sheriff's deputy, identified as Investigator Scott Chambers, were shot. Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigator Chambers was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. A passenger who was in the car with Lewis was not harmed and was taken in for questioning by detectives. With the death of the sole suspect, the criminal case concerning the murder of Tivona Fogg was closed.