She Reported that She’d Been Raped. The Subsequent Day, Her Rapist Killed Her

Danishka Sibaja Mejia all the time had the braveness to do what was proper.

That’s one of many lasting reminiscences of the 22-year-old dancer and volleyball participant initially from Costa Rica, who was killed in April 2024 throughout a focused dwelling invasion in Knoxville, Tenn., by a former pal at some point after she accused him of raping her in her sleep.

“One of many issues Danishka talked about throughout our final dinner on the night time of April 4 was that she was not afraid to do the proper factor,” Mejia’s mom Melba Mejia mentioned throughout a latest court docket listening to, based on The Charlotte Observer. “She needed to comply with up with this report in order that [her attacker, Latawyne Osborne] won’t harm another ladies. Though it price her life, she’s going to have her remaining want.”

Osborne, 40, was sentenced to life in jail with out the potential of parole final week on convictions of first-degree homicide, three counts of tried first-degree homicide, and aggravated sexual battery, based on the Observer, WATE and WVLT.

“This spares all of the events of prolonged litigation of trial and sentencing and appeals,” Osborne’s protection lawyer Cullen Wojcik mentioned after his consumer pleaded responsible, based on the Observer. “And we hope that this decision brings a sure stage of finality to the entire course of.”

Mejia was killed on April 5, 2024, simply at some point after she had reportedly gone to police to formally accused Osborne of raping her after she fell asleep at his dwelling. Based on the Observer, Mejia advised police she wakened partially clothed and along with her tampon inexplicably eliminated. Osborne denied sexually assaulting Mejia when she confronted him about it, based on the outlet, however prosecutors mentioned an examination at an area hospital later confirmed DNA proof that Osborne had raped her.

Based on native WBIR, Osborne and two different males barged into a house in South Knoxville the place Mejia was, forcing her and two others – a person and the person’s pregnant girlfriend – down into the basement. There, Osborne pressured Mejia at gunpoint to ingest a mixture of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, based on WBIR, and made her repeat the ingestions till she fell unconscious. Osborne then continued to power medication on her and repeatedly checked to see if she was respiratory, filming parts of the incident, based on WBIR.

The Observer and WBIR report, citing police, that Osborne and two cohorts then fatally shot Mejia. Mejia’s buddies have been additionally shot however survived the makes an attempt on their life, alerting police to what occurred when officers arrived on the dwelling.

Osborne was additionally reportedly shot on accident by considered one of his co-conspirators through the dwelling invasion, later going to an area hospital for therapy the place he was then taken into custody after being questioned by murder detectives. He was sentenced to life in jail after pleading responsible on Might 30, based on WBIR.

“He tried to silence her however he made her louder,” Mejia’s father Tom Dolias advised reporters after Osborne’s sentencing, based on the outlet. “That is the 1st step, it is a huge victory.”

In the event you or somebody you realize has been sexually assaulted, please contact the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.