**Breaking News: The Murder of Ashanti Billie Shakes Community, Sparks Urgent Call for Change**
In a haunting twist of fate, Ashanti Billie, a vibrant 19-year-old culinary student, was brutally murdered after disappearing under shocking circumstances in Virginia Beach. The young woman, who had dreams of opening her own bakery, vanished on September 18, 2017, after heading to work at a naval base. Surveillance footage confirmed she arrived at the base, but hours later, she was gone without a trace.
Five agonizing days later, her car was discovered, abandoned and unlocked, with personal items inside. The search took a tragic turn when Ashanti’s body was found on September 29, 2017, in a wooded area behind a church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The news devastated her family and sent shockwaves through the community. It was later revealed that a retired Navy veteran, Eric Brown, had been harassing Ashanti prior to her abduction and was arrested shortly after her body was discovered.
Despite overwhelming evidence linking him to the crime, including DNA found on Ashanti’s clothing, Brown remains untried due to a diagnosis of schizophrenia that has rendered him incompetent to stand trial. The case has raised significant concerns about the safety of women and the urgent need for a national alert system for missing adults.
In response to this tragedy, Ashanti’s family has turned their grief into action, advocating for the Ashanti Alert, a system designed to help locate missing adults, akin to the Amber Alert for 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren. Although the law was passed in 2018, its implementation has been slow, underscoring the need for further awareness and funding.
As the community mourns Ashanti’s loss, her story serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by young women and the systemic failures that allowed her murder to occur. The fight for justice continues, with Ashanti’s legacy pushing forward the urgent conversation on safety and awareness for all missing adults.
