MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County prosecutors accuse two people of attacking their neighbor inside her home earlier this month.

Charges filed

In court:

Court records show 22-year-old Tazjah Smith and 21-year-old Domonick Farmer are each charged with burglary and battery to an elder. Farmer is also charged with pointing a gun at the neighbor.

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Both Smith and Farmer made their initial court appearance on Thursday. Smith’s bond was set at $5,000, while Farmer’s was set at $2,500.

Neighbor attacked

The backstory:

It happened on Jan. 2. A criminal complaint said a 72-year-old woman said she was home when her upstairs neighbor, Smith, pounded on her door and accused her of “stealing groceries.” Smith then forced her way into the home and hit the victim in the face.

Court filings said the victim told police she was on the floor when she saw Farmer, who also lives upstairs, come in and tell Smith to “bear her a**.” The 72-year-old said Smith then hit her several more times before Smith and Farmer went upstairs.

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A witness said Smith also told Farmer to “get the gun,” and that Farmer came back with a gun that he “placed to the head” of the victim, according to the complaint. The witness said he told Farmer that it was “not worth it.” The witness also said Farmer demanded $20,000 and searched the home before they left without any money.

At the scene near 12th and Locust, court filings said police found “signs of a struggle” – including a cabinet door off its hinges, clumps of hair on the floor and a dented can of vegetables. The victim’s face and eye were swollen, and she was taken to a hospital.

Police found Smith and Farmer in the upstairs unit. Prosecutors said Smith “appeared to be covered in sweat with fresh scratches.” Officers searched the unit and found two guns, which matched descriptions provided by the victim and witness, and “small amounts” of methamphetamine and marijuana.

By LaKeshia N. Myers

Message to readers: This article is a reprint of my editorial originally published in the Milwaukee Courier on May 11, 2024. I present it today, in honor of my mother, Girtha Myers, who passed away on January 3, 2026. She was the embodiment of grace and tenacity, and for me, she was perfection in human form. Rest in peace, Mama. I love you.

Dear Mama, As I approach my fortieth birthday, it occurred to me that quite a bit has transpired in the time we have known each other. While I often joke with you and dad that my arrival was, “the best thing that ever happened to you,” only lately have I considered that my birth propelled you both into a stratosphere of the unknown. In an instant, you transitioned from young people who lived footloose and fancy free and were transfixed into a new world with a new title, parents. Two people with whom new names were given, “Mama” and “Daddy.” You both have excelled at those roles, exceedingly and above what could ever be asked.

Only now that I am older do I fully appreciate the identity shift that was probably required of you when you became my mother. The weight of responsibility that was heaped upon you and the fear of the unknown. But as time went on, I’d like to think we learned to complement each other. You desired obedience and taught me to have respect for myself and others; to treat people as I would like to be treated; and that my name was one of the greatest assets I had in this life and to protect it at all costs.

I get my work ethic from you and daddy equally, but my ambitious nature is all you. My commitment to community and tendency to over-commit to too many organizations and projects is something I picked up from you along the way too. You always said, “If you want something done right, do it yourself”—I think I may have taken that one a little too far sometimes (smile). But you provided me the opportunity to thrive, experience the world, travel, question authority, have a voice, and love myself.

Like most parent/child relationships, ours has endured many seasons. As I approach forty, I am reminded of its significance in our faith. Forty represents transition, signifies new life, new growth, transformation, a change from one great task to another. As I watch you now, aging gracefully—with now more locks of grey, we have entered yet another period of transition, where sometimes I feel more like your parent than your daughter, and you behave like a rebellious teenager (go figure). I am thankful for the opportunities of laughter, solace, and discipline.

Thank you, for being my mother. Now that I am older, thank you for being my friend. You are a wonderful mother. You are the perfect mother for me. I love you. Love Always, LaKeshia

Lynn Griffith, chief marketing and communication officer, was named to the Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list. 

Griffith leads Marquette’s Office of Marketing and Communication, a team of 30 talented professionals who work to elevate and differentiate the Marquette brand via strategy and planning; brand management; media relations; internal communication; presidential communication; social media; issues and crisis management; advertising, digital and creative services; video; and editorial content, including the university’s flagship alumni publication, Marquette Magazine.  

Under Griffith’s leadership, Marquette’s marketing and communication team has been recognized for excellence, winning multiple National Collegiate Advertising awards, Circle of Excellence Awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter Paragon Awards. In 2024, the university’s digital storytelling strategy was named a Ragan’s PR Daily award finalist. Marquette is ranked a top 55 most trusted higher education brand in the U.S. by Morning Consult and its social media is No. 5 in the country for higher education social media engagement by RivalIQ.  

During her nine years at Marquette, Griffith has been tapped for multiple university initiatives, including co-chairing the university’s Crisis Management Team, co-leading the university’s Convention Steering Committee ahead of Milwaukee hosting the Republican National Convention in 2024, and serving on Mission Priority Examen and presidential inauguration planning committees. 

An engaged member of the Milwaukee community, Griffith serves on the board of directors of Menomonee Valley Partners and on the marketing committee of VISIT Milwaukee. She is a member of TEMPO Milwaukee and the Arthur W. Page Society, as well as the Marquette Mentors leadership council, on which she also serves as a mentor. She recently completed the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities’ 18-month Ignatian Colleagues Program for lay leaders.  

Griffith is a two-time graduate of Marquette, earning a Bachelor of Arts in public relations and writing intensive English and a Master of Business Administration. 

40 Under 40 honorees were selected based on the impact they have had in their jobs, in the community and on Southeast Wisconsin overall. The Milwaukee Business Journal reviewed hundreds of nominations to curate its 34th 40 Under 40 cohort. 

In addition to Griffith, seven alumni were named to the list: 

• David Griggs, co-founder of One 5 Olive LLC 
• Jordan Komp, senior principal and Milwaukee office director at Thornton Tomasetti Inc. 
• Avery Mayne, attorney at von Briesen & Roper, s.c. 
• Brian McClaren, principal of H. Knox Development Company 
• Emily Tau, director of public affairs for Milwaukee County 
• Jessica Shepherd, director of financial planning and analysis at Baird 
• Mike Wanezek, partner at Colliers | Wisconsin 

The 40 Under 40 honorees will be celebrated in a forthcoming special edition of the Milwaukee Business Journal and at an awards presentation on Wednesday, March 11, at the Baird Center.