Yetunde Price, the eldest sister of tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams, was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting in Compton, California, on September 14, 2003. A dedicated nurse and mother of three, she also worked as a personal assistant to her famous sisters while maintaining her own independent life. Price was just 31 years old when she was fatally shot while riding in an SUV with her boyfriend, Rolland Wormley.
Authorities later determined that Price was an unintended victim of gang violence. The shooter, Robert Edward Maxfield, a Southside Crips gang member, mistook the vehicle for a rival’s and opened fire. Initially facing murder charges, Maxfield pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2006. He was released on parole in 2018 but was later arrested again for parole violations.
Serena and Venus honored their sister’s memory by establishing the Yetunde Price Resource Center in Compton in 2016. The center provides support for victims of violence and their families. Serena, who once described the loss as “unfair to our family,” has openly shared her grief while continuing to celebrate her sister’s life through charitable initiatives and advocacy.
