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Trial starts for man accused of killing beloved Norfolk elementary school teacher

Posted at 6:22 AM, Oct 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-22 07:44:59-04

NORFOLK, Va. - A man accused of killing a Norfolk elementary school teacher, beloved in her community, will be in court Tuesday to stand trial on charges he faces from the 2017 New Year's Eve shooting that allegedly involved a love triangle.

According to police, Edward Shaw was charged with murder and other gun charges after shooting and killing Caroline Hendrix, who was a pre-k teacher at Oceanair Elementary school.

Hendrix, who was allegedly mistaken for a man she was with on that final day of 2017, was shot in the leg twice. The bullets would travel to her upper body, where they then caused significant damage and led to her death.

The man that was in the car with Hendrix reportedly was involved in a love triangle with Shaw and Teniqu Cushman. As part of the investigation, Cushman was charged with conspiracy. She pleaded guilty to the charge against her back in October 2018.

Cushman was 22-years-old at the time of the shooting, and Shaw was 70-years-old. Hendrix was 50-years-old when she was killed.

Prosecutors said in Cushman's trial that She and Shaw had a "friends with benefits" type of relationship. Cushman also had a sexual relationship with Hendrix's friend, but that relationship soured, the prosecutor added. Cushman texted Shaw that the other man "had to be gone" due to mental abuse from the man, the prosecutor said. Cushman's attorney argued that was not proof she wanted Shaw to shoot the other man, but rather that she wanted their relationship to end.

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