(Update, October 16)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Beverly Carter’s son, Carl Carter, released a statement Monday on Facebook urging added safety to help reduce violent crimes against real estate agents.
You can read the full statement below.
On September 25, 2014, I lost my sweet mom, Beverly Carter, to a violent crime against a real estate broker. For the past two and a half years, I’ve pushed through my grief to do my best to bring awareness to agent safety to reduce violent crimes against real estate agents. My intention is to not have other families endure the tragic loss my family experienced. I’ve taken many vacation days from work, skipped every weekend, and missed quality family time… all for this mission.
Through my own personal loss and meeting so many victims across the country, I’ve felt and seen the need for change in our industry. I continue to be a part of that change through the Beverly Carter Foundation which I founded. The Foundation has developed a library of videos & training materials as well as researched new technology and tools; all to support agent safety. I’m thankful for every opportunity I’ve had to help the amazing agents in our industry. It’s been my honor to share my sweet mom and her story in a way to drive positive change.
My dad lost his wife and best friend of almost 35 years. He continues to struggle daily with the loss of my mom. I support his decision to pursue this, and I will stand by him as he explores his legal options. If any damages are awarded to me personally, I will donate to the Beverly Carter Foundation to aid in the development of additional training and for victim assistance. I’ve already lost my mom through this horrific situation, I will not separate myself from my dad. I hope the industry rallies together to find better solutions to keep agents safe.
Statement from the Beverly Carter Foundation
On September 29, 2017, Carl Carter, Sr.; Carl Carter, Jr.; and Chad Carter filed a Complaint and Jury Demand against CRYE-LEIKE OF ARKANSAS, INC.; CRYE-LEIKE, INC.; AND JOHN DOES 1-3 for negligence and wrongful death stemming from the 2014 murder of Beverly Carter, a Crye-Leike real estate broker. The Beverly Carter Foundation is not currently involved in, nor plans to be involved in, this lawsuit. While we support the right of all board members to pursue their legal options, our mission stands independently as a labor of love in memory of Beverly Carter.
Since her tragic passing, the Beverly Carter Foundation (a 501c3 nonprofit) has worked tirelessly to raise safety awareness throughout the real estate industry. The Foundation was formed in January 2017 to improve agent safety and provide industry-wide victim assistance. The Foundation’s efforts have provided thousands of agents across the United States with training and resources to help keep them safe while performing their jobs. The Foundation’s sole purpose remains intact: to ensure that agents make it home safely, every night.
Original story:
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Beverly Carter was murdered in September 2014. Her family is alleging negligence on the part of Crye-Leike Real Estate for failing to train her to avoid dangerous situations.
The civil lawsuit was filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court on September 29, 2017, according to the court docket. That’s nearly three years to the day that Carter was pronounced dead.
The lawsuit alleges that Arron Lewis and Crystal Lowery, who have been convicted of Carter’s murder, set up a fake house showing through the company with Carter in rural Pulaski County in September 2014 in a plot to kidnap her.
The plot went awry, the lawsuit claims, and resulted in her death.
The lawsuit alleges negligence and wrongful death attributable to the company, saying, “Crye-Leike never provided Mrs. Carter with any information, statistics, research, support or other means to prevent and/or mitigate the harm resulting from deadly situations.”
The suit further alleges Crye-Leike failed to perform background checks nor encouraged realtors to run background checks on potential home buyers previously unknown to the company.
Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges, the company never encouraged its realtors to travel in groups and/or with partners for safety when showing rural homes, or when showing homes to potentially dangerous strangers.
The suit also places emphasis on the company’s alleged failure to arrange preliminary meetings between realtors and buyers at offices or public places. Nor did the company, the suit alleges, encourage realtors to use GPS to alert authorities.
The suit seeks an unspecified amount of damages. Crye-Leike has not filed an answer to the suit. It was served on October 6, 2017.