On Saturday, December 28, Pastor DaQuarius Green, a thirty-one-year-old leader of Elba Zion Missionary Baptist Church, passed away after a shooting that occurred just days before Christmas. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local congregation and beyond, primarily because the person who allegedly pulled the trigger was his own wife, Quintaria Massey.
Perhaps the most devastating detail of this domestic nightmare is that the couple’s three young children were reportedly present to witness the fatal encounter.
While the church community is mourning a man they saw as a spiritual guide, court documents paint a much darker picture of life behind the parsonage doors. Records reveal that Green faced three misdemeanor counts of domestic violence just last year, highlighting a history of alleged volatility. In a previous filing for a protection order, a woman claimed that Green had repeatedly struck her, even during a pregnancy. These cases were eventually dismissed when the victim refused to testify, a common and tragic cycle in domestic abuse situations where the survivor often feels pressured to protect the abuser’s reputation or livelihood.
The timing of the shooting occurred right as families were preparing for Christmas Eve. Authorities initially described the event as a domestic incident, but the lack of immediate charges against Massey has sparked intense debate. In Alabama, when a shooter is not immediately arrested, it often suggests that investigators are weighing a claim of self-defense. The case is expected to be referred to the district attorney, who will determine if the evidence warrants a grand jury hearing or if the shooting was a desperate act of survival.
Despite the documented allegations of abuse, the Elba Zion Missionary Baptist Church has chosen to stand firmly behind its late pastor’s memory. The church released a statement expressing “unwavering faith” and mourning the man who “transitioned into eternal rest.” They held a prayer vigil on Sunday, where members gathered to offer support and remembrance.
As the investigation continues, the people of Elba and Montgomery remain divided between those honoring a man of God and those seeking justice for a woman who may have been pushed to her limit. The legal system will eventually decide Quintaria Massey’s fate, but the community is already left picking up the pieces of a shattered family.
