Tamilore Odunsi, a 23-year-old British-Nigerian nursing student, has been found dead in her apartment on Wednesday, just days before her scheduled graduation.
Officers from the Houston Police Department forced entry after a family friend reported being unable to reach her. They discovered Odunsi’s body on the kitchen floor with multiple stab wounds.
According to Daily Mail, a man, believed to be her new flatmate and described as someone she had only recently met, was found in a bedroom with critical knife injuries. He remains hospitalized in serious condition.
Odunsi moved from London to Houston in 2022 to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Online, she was known as “Tami Dollars,” sharing study tips and snapshots of life in Texas with over 30,000 TikTok followers. In her final post—just three days before her death—she celebrated her imminent graduation, writing, “23 years old. BSN grad in 2 weeks. Summer is 14 days away. Starting to look human again.”
Friends and classmates remember her as warm, driven, and devoted to her faith. Tamilore Odunsi was said to be active in her church community and often spoke of her dream to work with children through nursing.
Her family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to repatriate her body to the UK and cover funeral expenses. The fundraiser has already raised £34,813 out of its initial goal of £40,000.
Her sister described Odunsi as “a beautiful soul, full of light, ambition, and kindness,” on the GoFundMe page set up to raise fund for the repatriation of her body.
Brother to Tamilore Odunsi, Manny paid tribute on Instagram, calling her “our TikTok star, my creative director, and most importantly, my baby sister.”
“Flying 10 hours to America will be the hardest journey of my life. Knowing that you won’t be at the airport to greet us makes the pain even deeper.
‘Ever since I heard the news, I keep asking myself if there was anything more I could have done to protect you as your older brother.
‘But I believe you’re in a better place now. Your assignment on earth is complete. This isn’t goodbye, its just ‘See you later’.
‘I know you’re smiling down on us. Tami you were truly a special soul, loving caring, generous, honest – and adored by everyone who met you.
‘Our Tik Tok star. My creative director, and most importantly, my baby sister.
‘You were always by my side especially through my property journey and for that, I’m grateful I promise to make you proud, and I’ll continue to honour your legacy.”
Houston police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack. No suspect has been publicly identified, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Tamilore Odunsi’s tragic death has resonated across both sides of the Atlantic, serving as a sobering reminder of the challenges students may face when studying abroad and the importance of community and vigilance in ensuring their safety.
