‘Lot of confusion’: Daughter says parents never had issues before alleged murder

CHARLOTTE — The daughter of a local pastor says she’s left confused and heartbroken after her mother was shot inside her own home in northwest Charlotte.

Tammy McCollum was killed by her own husband, police said. Now, her daughter says the family has so many unanswered questions.

Eddie McCollum is in jail on a first-degree murder charge, and their three children are just bewildered.

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In her daughter’s words, Tammy was a loving diva in every sense of the word.

“She was a grown woman, but my mommy was just a girl,” Davilyn McCollum told Channel 9 Reporter Hunter Sáenz on Wednesday. “She just liked to get dressed up and do her makeup.”

Davilyn shared stories with Sáenz as she laughed through her tears, talking about the cherished memories with her 58-year-old mother.

“She was probably as close to perfect, you know, as you would consider a human being able to get close to perfect,” Davilyn said.

Police say Tammy’s husband of 30 years called 911 early Monday morning and told them he shot his wife after an argument. It happened at their home on Cardington Court.

Their three children now have many questions.

“A lot of confusion, a lot of confusion for the most part, Hunter,” Davilyn said. “I don’t know if confusion is a good enough word. What happened?”

She says her parents never had any issues, and there were no domestic violence problems before the shooting. She says they loved deeply.

“My dad’s love for my mom was almost a staple in the community. The way that my father loved my mom was goals, for lack of a better word,” Davilyn said.

Tammy was also beloved by the congregation at The Well Worship Center in Statesville, where she was a minister. Her daughter says she was always a servant to everyone.

Tammy McCollum at The Well Worship Center

“I don’t think we really know what we lost,” Davilyn said.

Eddie is being held on a $1 million bond. Channel 9 learned he was a teacher assistant at Southwest Middle School in Steele Creek -- Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools says he’s been suspended with pay.

The Well Worship Center is asking for the community’s prayers. In a Facebook post, they say they respect the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s investigation, and they stand firmly against violence in any form. They also said, “Our hearts are profoundly broken as we process the tragic events.”

The church says it will provide details later about a memorial.