‘You Broke My Heart!’: Pastor’s Mistress Who Ran Anger Management Clinic Found Guilty in His Killing After He Refused to Leave His Wife
A woman accused of killing a Tennessee pastor with whom she was having an affair has been found guilty of his murder. Latoshia Daniels, a mental health and anger management counselor, was indicted in 2019 after fatally shooting 36-year-old Brodes Perry, the former head pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis. According to the Commercial Appeal, authorities say Daniels drove hours from Little Rock, Arkansas, to the couple's apartment in a Memphis suburb to confront Perry about ending the relationship with his wife. Latoshia Daniels was convicted of second-degree murder after shooting her former lover and his wife. (Photo: Facebook/Big Mouf Media) Police say she shot Perry multiple times while yelling, "You broke my heart!" Then she turned the gun on Perry's wife, Tabatha, who survived her injuries. Brodes was shot in the head, and Tabatha was shot in her left shoulder. Michigan Mom Stabs Teen In Kids Foot Locker After Hearing Someone Call Her ‘Broke’ When Her Credit Card Declined, Police Say Daniels was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and employing a firearm while committing a dangerous felony. During her week-long trial, Daniels testified that she met Perry through ministry work at St. Mark's Baptist Church in Little Rock, according to WATN. She said that Perry had offered to counsel her when she confided in him about her marital issues and her husband's emotional neglect and distance. During their second counseling session, she said their relationship became sexual. She knew Perry was married, as well. Daniels described the early days of their relationship as "amazing," a time when Perry was extremely affectionate, bought her expensive gifts, took her on trips, and paid for her membership at a high-end cigar lounge he frequented. Daniels said that during the affair, she and Perry always made sure to include a third person on public outings to make it look like they were conducting church business. However, as the affair continued, she said that Perry grew manipulative and controlling. Toward the end of the relationship, she said he allegedly made her say, "Yes, sir," and "No, sir" when talking to him. During their trips together, Daniels said Perry made her pay travel expenses, but he financed everything else. She claimed that Perry would not allow her to wear clothes in their hotel rooms and "withdrew affection" if she was clothed. She also testified that their primary mode of communication was through an app that the pastor urged her to download, which deletes messages immediately after they're sent. Perry also allegedly told Daniels that their relationship couldn't go to the next stage until she divorced her husband. She said that she divorced her husband of eight years, but Perry stayed married to his wife. Daniels also said that Perry often brought up the concept of "ethical non-monogamy," and asked her to find another person that she and Perry could invite into their sexual relationship. Perry also allegedly claimed that his wife was aware of the non-monogamy concept and permitted him to have an open marriage. However, Daniels said that Perry's wife had no idea about their affair, which the pastor's wife also told police. Daniels also testified that Perry gave her very specific instructions not to call 911 in the event something were to happen to him while they were together, but to contact another pastor they knew. On one occasion in October 2017, Perry allegedly told Daniels he planned to leave his wife after sending her to Florida. Daniels said she and Perry spent days together while his wife was away and even traveled overseas. When Perry was finally promoted as executive pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Tennessee, Daniels testified that he visited Arkansas from time to time to continue the affair. In March 2019, Daniels said she attempted to kill herself in front of Perry after he grew "cold" toward her, but Perry talked her out of it. One month later, Perry allegedly texted Daniels to suggest they end their affair. Daniels said she wanted to end her life after that. She typed a suicide note in her phone, grabbed a gun, and said she started driving to a local park where she said she planned to shoot herself. As she was on the interstate, she said she saw the Memphis exit and decided to drive to the city instead. She headed to the cigar lounge that Perry often visited and found Perry, who allegedly suggested they go to his apartment and admit their affair to his wife. Daniels said that Perry's wife was friendly and welcoming toward her during the visit, but Perry ultimately never fessed up. Daniels said that when the meeting went nowhere, Perry decided to end the visit. She said she didn't remember firing the gun and that she never planned to harm anyone. She reiterated that the only person she wanted to harm that day was herself. "I'm so very sorry," Daniels said on the stand. "I never wanted to hurt anybody." Perry's widow, Tabatha Archie, testified as a state witness and recounted what she witnessed during the shooting. View this post on Instagram A post shared by COURT TV (@courttvnetwork) When questioned by defense attorneys, Archie said that when she was shot, Daniels said something to the effect of, "I didn't mean to." Archie said that when police finally arrived, Daniels pointed the gun at herself, and responding officers had to talk her out of self-harm. The prosecution argued that Daniels' shooting was intentional, in the same way that her choice to engage in an affair with Perry was intentional, per WMC. Her defense attorneys asserted that the shooting was done in the heat of the moment. Prosecutors say Daniels spent roughly three hours driving to Memphis and 20 minutes speaking to Perry's wife before pulling out the gun. They argued that the shooting stemmed from Daniels' anger and heartbreak over the breakup with Perry, but Perry testified that she loved the pastor and wouldn't have intentionally hurt him. When Daniels' defense attorneys questioned her about her mental state, she said that she was not her "normal, healthy" self and hadn't been in a good mental state the day of the shooting. After deliberating, the jury convicted Daniels of lesser charges, including second-degree murder and reckless endangerment. The conviction means that Daniels, now 46, won't face a life sentence in prison. “Second degree murder carries 15 to 25 years, and reckless endangerment is a Class D. It carries two to four years,” said Assistant District Attorney Kevin McAlpin. Daniels will be sentenced on Dec. 17. After her indictment, she spent four years in jail while the court decided on her bail amount. In 2023, she was granted a $250,000 bond, which she paid for a pretrial release. Her attorneys said that during the time she spent incarcerated, she wrote two books, one to help incarcerated mothers and another for children whose mothers are in prison. Daniels was a licensed social worker and the owner of a behavioral health clinic at the time of the shooting. According to Arkansas records, she specialized in anger management.
