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Woman reeling from slaying of 2nd sister

Brandis Smith went into her sister’s Tucson home Dec. 8 and found the sister, Aries Straughter, 26, and her husband, Quinterious Straughter, 27, shot to death.

She was left with a sense of déjà vu.

In 1998, Smith’s eldest sister, Tisha Jones, and Jones’ boyfriend were slain in Wichita, Kan. Police solved the crime last year.

“I don’t want to wait another nine years,” Smith said at a news conference held by Homicide Survivors Thursday. “We need justice.”

In September, a member of the Crips was indicted in Jones’ 1998 death, according th the FBI Web site.

There have been no recent developments in the Straughter case, and no suspects have been named, Sgt. Mark Robinson said Thursday.

Police have said the crime may be drug-related.

Smith did not comment on that suspicion, but said, “Nobody, no matter whether you’ve gone off the right path in life, deserves to have their life taken from them.”

Smith broke into her sister’s house in the 3200 block of East Willard Street, after not hearing from her sister for four days.

Her worst fears were confirmed.

Smith, Straughter and other relatives moved to Tucson from Wichita 3 1/2 years ago.

Her cousin, Tranese Dickson,said the family came to “stay away from negative people, for a better lifestyle.”

Both women said the Straughters were starting anew.

Quinterious Straughter, a tow truck driver, was planning to open his own business.

Aries Straughter was a certified nursing assistant and hairstylist.

The high school sweethearts were trying to have a baby but miscarried in November.

“They were working hard toward a lot of things before someone took their lives,” Smith said.

The family asked anyone with information to call the county’s anonymous tip line, 88-CRIME.

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