Susan Gehrke GoFundMe: Tucson grandmother who survived cancer twice dies after attack by felon, ‘A beacon of light’
A Tucson grandmother who beat cancer twice died after an alleged attack by a felon outside her apartment complex, authorities said, per Fox News Digital. The Tucson Police Department confirmed that 61-year-old Susan Gehrke died four days after she was attacked on July 24 at an apartment complex.
Four days after the attack, 27-year-old Dahseir Edward Jefferson was arrested and initially booked on two counts of aggravated assault. The charges were later amended to include second-degree murder following Gehrke’s death. Jefferson is being held on a $650,000 bond.
A GoFundMe has been launched by Gehrke’s family.
Gehrke’s family told KOLD that her injuries left her “unrecognizable.”
“She’s an old lady that literally worked her whole life to support her family, and that’s the most memorable thing that anybody could do,” said Gehrke’s grandson, Frankie Zills.
The attack
On July 24, Tucson police officers and firefighters responded to reports of a fight at the apartment complex at 1201 N. Alvernon Way at approximately 10 pm. Officers found Gehrke and a man suffering from injuries, and Gehrke was rushed to a hospital in life-threatening condition. The attacker fled the scene before officers arrived.
Investigators got to know that Gehrke and the man were on the patio when Jefferson allegedly approached the area, became confrontational, before attacking both of them, police said.
Jefferson allegedly punched the male victim first, leaving him with serious injuries. KOLD and KVOA cited the Tucson Police Department and reported that he then allegedly punched Gehrke so hard that part of her dentures flew out of her mouth as she fell to the ground, hitting her head.
Read More | Nancy Guthrie update: Cajun Navy VP opens up about PCSD’s refusal to accept help, ‘They just decided…’
Members of the Tucson Police Department’s community engagement squad arrested Jefferson on July 28 after locating him near Speedway Boulevard and Country Club Road and arrested him. State records showed that Jefferson had previously served time in an Arizona prison for aggravated assault.
He was sentenced to five years in 2021 and released in October 2024. He even had a previous burglary conviction.
According to Pima County jail records reviewed by PEOPLE, Jefferson is being held on a $650,000 bond at the Pima County Adult Detention Complex.
Susan Gehrke GoFundMe
Gehrke’s family said in the GoFundMe that their “hearts are completely shattered” after the attack as their “beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Susan was tragically and violently taken from us at the age of 61.”
Read More | Nancy Guthrie update: Expert cites 2 areas where potential killer may have disposed of body, ‘Buried in the woods…’
“Susan was a beacon of light to everyone who knew her. She spent her entire life working tirelessly, pouring her heart into her family, and putting others before herself. She was just on the brink of retiring—a milestone she had worked so hard for and was so excited to finally enjoy,” the page said.
“She was looking forward to relaxing, spending endless time with her children and grandchildren, and enjoying the peaceful next chapter of her life. Tragically, that future was stolen from her and from all of us who loved her so deeply.
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,” it added.
Funds are being raised to cover funeral and memorial service costs, end-of-life expenses and legal support, and a “memorial tribute on her upcoming birthday to honor her memory surrounded by family.”