Loss of a Chi Omega sister
 

Hi everyone. It has been a long time since I posted and I am doing so today with awful news.

Last night one of our Psi Gamma chapter (Mercer University in Macon, GA) Chi Omega sisters passed away. Jennifer Ross was a sophomore from Savannah, GA and pledged in the Fall of 2004. I had the privilege of being her New Member Educator as well as her GrandBig. Jenn was kind, gregarious, and loving to everyone who was blessed enough to know her.

Jenn and some friends were robbed at gunpoint in downtown Savannah the Friday night before Christmas. Jenn was shot in the stomach during the struggle. She was improving greatly but an unforeseen complication arose last night and she didn't make it through surgery.

This is a horrible loss. Please keep the Ross family in your prayers as well as our sisterhood during this time. Jenn was loved by everyone and without her, our chapter and our lives won't be the same.

Remind your sisters/brothers and family members how much you love them. It is tragedies like this that make life seem so uncertain. You don't realize how much you love someone until you can't tell them anymore.

my deepest condolences to you, your chapter and your sister's family.

How sad...I'll be praying for ya'll.

Sarah, I'm so, so sorry. How sad.

(((((((hugs)))))))

I am so sorry hun. Keeping everyone who knew Jennifer in my prayers. Let me know if you need anything.

Condolences to you and all of Psi Gamma- Chi Omega for your loss.

To You, The Sisters of Chi Omega, and The Family, it is a great and tradgic Lose to all!:(

My Condolences.

Deepest and most profound condolences for her loss...to all those who knew and loved her.

I am truly truly sadden to hear of Jennifer's passing. It is horrible to lose someone in such a violent incident when there was NO reason it should have happened.

Okay, I started to get on stupid criminal rant but changed my mind.

Just accept my sincere sympathy to your chapter and your orgianization.

My sincerest sympathies to Jennifer's families (biological & greek), especially for such a senseless death.

My thoughts and prayers are with all who knew Jennifer.

CardinalSM,
My heart is very sad. My prayers will be with the sisters of Psi Gamma chapter and with Jennifer's family.
Loyally,
TigerOwl

The unnecessary violence of this just makes me angry. My condolences.

My chapter sends all of our condolences and love.

I am sorry to hear of this tragedy. Her family and friends, her chapter, and your organization are in my prayers. I am sorry to hear that you have lost such an amazing person to something like this. :(

I am so sorry

i am so sorry to hear about your chapter sister. please know that prayers will be offered up for her, as well as her family and friends.

How awful. :( My sympathies to all who knew her.

CardinalSM,

I'm so sorry to hear about Jennifer's death. My brother told me what had happened last week (he and Jennifer's brother are friends and KA fraternity brothers at GA Tech). We were all praying that she would pull through.

My deepest sympathies are with your chapter and with Jennifer's family right now.

Hugs,
dzrose93

I'm sorry. My prayers are with you all.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. Our whole chapter is attending the funeral on Thursday to support her parents and say goodbye to our sister. Please keep praying for her family. This is tough for all of us but none moreso than her parents and brother.

Perhaps y'all have already thought of some of this, but in case not...

I've seen black felt squares worn under the badge or new member pin (for a designated time -- like a week or two) or even a black ribbon below the pin.

Also, I've seen white carnations with red & yellow ribbons carried by all Chi Omegas who attend the funeral.

There is also a meaningful service outlined in the "Special Ceremonies" book, for those entering the Omega Chapter, which could be done after the next chapter meeting.

My thoughts are with my Psi Gamma Sisters.

When I was in school almost 14 years ago, I had a Zeta sister killed in a car accident and we did the exact same things mentioned above. Her parents were so appreciative of us just being there. The following year we initiated her mother as a Zeta special initiate so she could enjoy all of the things her daughter loved. Also, we honored Kim through a Zeta scholarship so every Zeta from here on out would always remember her.

My thoughts and prayers are with Jennifer's family and the Mercer Chi-Omega sisters.

Zeta love,

Tracy
Warner Robins, GA

We have a scholarship established through the chapter that will be dedicated to Jenn and awarded to Chi Omegas in the coming years. At the funeral we will all be wearing our pins as well as carrying white carnations to show our untiy and support as Chi Os. Thanks for the suggestions. Everyone's support is appreciated so much.

im so sorry to hear what happened. im keeping you, your chapter, her family, and anyone who knew her in my prayers. make sure that you all as a chapter have someone to talk to about this though, because it is going to be a hard semester. remember you have all of your sisters pulling for you though and were all here for you!! lico, heather

Please accept my condolences :(

how terrible that things like this have to happen. my thoughts and prayers are with you all :(

My deepest sympathies for Chi Omega, Jennifer's family, and those close to Jennnifer. I will be praying for you.

Jamie

My prayers and thoughts are with all involved.

My prayers go out to the Chi O sister,her family and her chapter sisters.What a tragedy!

"Que Psi Phi 'til the day I die"!

My thoughts and prayers' to Jennifer's family, friends, loved ones and sorority sisters.

My Prayers & Condolences to Jennifer's Family, friends & Sorority Sisters.

Update
 

Arrest Made
 

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

BREAKING NEWS: Police make arrest in Ross homicide

Megan Matteucci
912.652.0448
megan.matteucci@savannahnow.com

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police arrested a man today in connection with the shooting death of Jennifer Ross.

Michael Thorpe, 25, is charged with murder and aggravated assault with intent to commit armed robbery.

The arrest is the result of tips from the community, police spokesman Sgt. Mike Wilson said.

Additional arrests are pending.

The attack occurred at Perry and Barnard Streets about 3 a.m. Christmas Eve.

Ross, 19, was walking with three friends when they were attacked by two men who attempted to rob them, according to a police report.

During the confrontation, Ross was shot in the back.

Her friend, Brett Finley, was struck on the head with a pistol. The gun went off, but did not strike anyone.

Ross was rushed to Memorial Health University Medical Center, where she died on New Year's Day.

Ross and her friends had attended a Christmas Cotillion earlier in the evening and were on their way to a friend's house to call a cab.

My deepest sympathies, you have them extended. :( This so sad.

Chi Omega Sister
 

My thoughts are with you.

My condolences.

People, if you are being robbed, please just give up whatever it is that the robber wants. You can always replace material items, but you can't replace your life.

Latest news...
 

Posted on Fri, Feb. 10, 2006

'I'm innocent' says suspect in Savannah debutante slaying

SAVANNAH - A Savannah man charged with murder in the Christmas Eve shooting of a 19-year-old debutante declared "I'm innocent" in a jailhouse interview published Friday.

Michael Thorpe, 25, told the Savannah Morning News that police arrested him in the slaying of Jennifer Ross because he refused to answer investigators' questions.

"I have no idea why they think I did it," Thorpe said. "Because I'm black, I'm guilty. I feel it's a racial thing going on."

A mugger shot Ross in the back in the city's downtown historic district hours after she danced with her father, a local hospital executive, at Savannah's Christmas Cotillion. She died from her injuries New Year's Day.

The slaying galvanized Savannah business leaders to call for a crackdown on crime. But the outcry over the death of a young white woman from a prominent family has been racially polarizing in city where most residents, and most murder victims, are black.
Savannah-Chatham County Police Chief Willie Lovett said Friday his detectives have enough evidence to link Thorpe to the slaying. He declined to be specific, saying he did not want to disrupt the investigation.

"I don't know of anybody in his situation that's going to admit being guilty," Lovett said. "The evidence is there to support his arrest."

Police arrested Thorpe on Jan. 31, the same day a second suspect in the slaying, Kevin Huckabee, was arraigned in court on charges of possessing a stolen Ford Taurus that investigators believe Ross' killers used to flee the shooting.

Murder charges were added against Huckabee, 20, on Wednesday.

Thorpe told the newspaper he knows Huckabee "from around the neighborhood" but was not with him when Ross was shot in the early hours of Christmas Eve near Orleans Square.

"I'm innocent," Thorpe said, though he declined to say where he was when the shooting occurred at about 3 a.m. "You ain't a judge, so I ain't telling you."

Re: Latest news...
 

I hope that the police have got a ton of evidence in this case and that they throw the book at this S.O.B. :mad: