Is Shamar Elkins Married? Inside the Family of the Louisiana Dad Who Killed Eight Kids

Content warning: This article discusses child murder.

Before April 19, 2026, the name Shamar Elkins didn’t resonate with most people. However, once the news spread that Elkins had committed the unthinkable, his name continued to appear in multiple headlines.

Reports share that Shamar Elkins, a 31-year-old Army veteran and UPS worker, killed eight children in Shreveport, La. Additionally, it appears that he also seriously injured two women. The reason? Investigators are still trying to piece together a motive.

According to The New York Post, Elkins was indeed married. In fact, The New York Times reports that his marriage was in trouble. A relative of one of the women who was shot claims that the couple was in the middle of divorce proceedings.

Per the outlet, Elkins revealed to his mother and stepfather in a phone call that his wife, Shaneiqua Elkins, wanted a divorce, and that he was having “dark thoughts,” including wanting to end his life. Moreover, he utilized social media to share his thoughts. A recent Facebook post detailed his mental health struggles.

While his mother, Mahelia Elkins, shared with the outlet that she was unclear about the issues Shamar and his wife were experiencing, his stepfather revealed that they had a talk about his mental state.

“I told him, ‘You can beat stuff, man. I don’t care what you’re going through, you can beat it,’” his stepfather, Marcus Jackson, told the publication. “Then I remember him telling me, ‘Some people don’t come back from their demons.’”

Per KSLA, Elkins’s murderous spree claimed the lives of eight people, including 3-year-old Jayla Elkins, 5-year-old Shayla Elkins, 6-year-old Kayla Pugh, 7-year-old Layla Pugh, 10-year-old Markaydon Pugh, 11-year-old Sariahh Snow, 6-year-old Khedarrion Snow, and 5-year-old Braylon Snow. Seven of the children killed were Elkins's, and one was a cousin of the children.

Reports share that the children appeared to have been killed in their sleep.

A ninth child, a 13-year-old boy, was able to get away. The young man did sustain some injuries, including a few broken bones, caused by jumping off the roof of the home.

Aside from the kids, two women: Elkins’s wife and his alleged girlfriend, both presumed to be the mothers of some of the slain kids, were shot. While it’s unclear what injuries the alleged girlfriend sustained, the wife reportedly was shot in the face. However, she is expected to pull through.

“I just don’t know what to say. My heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said, per NBC News. “I just cannot begin to imagine how such an event can occur.”

Law enforcement shares that the incident allegedly initially started at Harrison Street, where Elkins shot his wife, before he went to another home, located on W 79th Street near Linwood, to shoot the children and the second woman.

Elkins fled the scene by carjacking, gave chase, and was ultimately shot dead by police officers.

“Officers were forced to discharge their department-issued firearms, neutralizing the suspect,” police said in a statement via NBC News.

At this time, police are still putting the pieces together.