A woman testified Monday she looked outside a few days after Christmas 2024 when she heard a gunshot on a Hammond block.
She saw a woman — later identified as Tiffany Woods — bolting down the street, screaming for help, she said. A man in a puffy red coat followed closely behind — which was captured on a home security camera.
Within seconds, the woman called 911, as more gunshots closely followed.
“He’s shooting at her,” she told a 911 operator.
After the man jogged back to a white Kia and left, she and a neighbor ran over to where Tiffany was on the ground — as she described Tiffany’s wounds to 911. Her neighbor checked her pulse.
“I was holding her hand,” the woman said in court.
Allen Oscar Woods, 41, of Hammond, formerly of Houston, is on trial this week, charged with murder and gun enhancement in the Dec. 27, 2024 shooting death of his ex-wife, Tiffany Woods, 39, of Hammond.
The U.S. Marshals arrested him in Chicago several days later. He has pleaded not guilty.
During opening statements, Deputy Prosecutor Shannon Phillips alleged to the jury that Allen killed Tiffany, then called his mother and sister, who called 911.
Over time, he told multiple people — including Tiffany’s mother — he would hurt her, Phillips alleged.
Defense lawyer John Cantrell chose not to give an opening statement.
Court records from multiple criminal cases alleged Allen threatened her repeatedly in the years leading up to her death.
He got probation in December 2023 in a pair of stalking cases following their 2021 divorce, which he initiated, filings show.
Mary Rankins, Tiffany’s mother, testified Monday that she was home that morning in Hammond when Tiffany returned with Allen and one of the ex-couple’s two daughters.
He was there to help one daughter put together a music-related Christmas present he bought her, Rankins said.
Allen was “quiet,” which was unusual, she recalled.
Afterwards, Tiffany left to give him a ride to his parents’ house a few minutes away. Within an hour, Allen’s sister called her — to tell her about the shooting.
“I just froze,” she testified.
Hammond police responded Dec. 27, 2024 to Cleveland Street and the Jackson Avenue alley.
Witnesses waved cops to Tiffany, who was shot in the head, lying in the middle of Cleveland Street. Allen jogged to her white Kia parked in front of his relative’s home and fled on Kenwood Street, documents allege.
Witnesses told police they saw Allen chasing Tiffany south while opening fire in the 6300 block of Jackson Avenue.
“HELP,” Tiffany screamed.
As the pair rounded east onto Cleveland Street, Allen shot at her again, records show. Witnesses said he stood over her and fired a couple more shots around 4 p.m.; it was an “execution-style” killing, Hammond Detective Michael Elkmann wrote.