Family of Tiverton woman killed in apparent Rehoboth murder-suicide creating scholarship after she created one for deceased daughter

The family of a local woman killed in an apparent murder-suicide is planning on honoring her memory.

According to Gregg Miliote of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, at approximately 10:55 a.m. on November 18th, Rehoboth Police received a 911 call from a relative of 77-year-old Barbara J, Cruz of Tiverton, RI, requesting a well-being check. The relative reported that she was on the phone with Cruz when she heard shouting and then the phone disconnected. When she called back, no one answered.

When officers responded to 162 Summer Street and entered the home, they located two deceased gunshot victims and an uninjured 84-year-old woman.

A preliminary investigation has revealed that Omar Bradley, 72, who had been residing in the Summer Street home with the uninjured 84-year-old woman, shot and killed the 84-year-old woman’s sister and then shot himself.

Cruz’s daughter Brenda issued a statement through a GoFundMe fundraiser after her mother’s death.

“Our beautiful, dedicated, and kind mother was tragically taken from us through an act of senseless violence. Our mother is a dedicated grandmother, nurse, and most importantly a friend and confidant to all her children. This profound loss has been devastating to us all. Our mother was helping to care for her older sister when her sister’s boyfriend became enraged and shot and killed our mother. She has 4 surviving children, and 8 grandchildren. The funds will be used for travel expenses, funeral costs, and helping to alleviate the family’s financial burdens as we take the time to grieve and process this horrendous tragedy. She will be missed, and life will never be the same for any of us again. Thank you for your help.”

The family later updated the fundraiser stating that a scholarship would be created in her honor just like Cruz did for her daughter who had previously passed away.

“Family has decided to try and establish a scholarship fund for nurses in honor of our mother and our late sister Diana Cruz. Our sister was tragically killed by a drunk driver at the age of 15 on December 14, 1997, while returning from Christmas shopping with friends. After her death our mother established the Diana Cruz Memorial Scholarship fund and has been honoring a deserving student every year since our sister’s passing for the last 25 years. Our mother gave the last scholarship award in June of 2023 as her scholarship fund was exhausted. Our mother had expressed the desire to add more money to the scholarship fund during a conversation this summer with my sister. In light of this, we hope to establish a scholarship fund in both their names with any additional funds that are received past the original goal of $10,000. Nursing changed our mother’s life for the better. Nurses are patient advocates, and it was in the spirit of advocating for her sister that she lost her life. We are certain that our mother would want us to continue to honor her and our beautiful sister together.”

Visitation for Cruz will be held on November 28th from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Pocasset Memorial Funeral Home, 462 Main Rd, Tiverton, RI. The funeral service will take place on November 29th at 9:00 AM, also at Pocasset Memorial Funeral Home. A mass will follow at 10:00 AM at Holy Ghost Church in Tiverton, RI. Burial will be in Pocasset Hill Cemetery.

The investigation into the deaths of Cruz and Bradley is being coordinated by Assistant District Attorney Jason Mohan, Deputy Chief of District Attorney Quinn’s Homicide Unit.