Bungling teenage hitman shot dead his target's sister

Amanda Canales feared for her life after her divorce, but a tragic twist of fate meant it was her sibling Alisha who opened the door to a gunman

- GAIL SHORTLAND

Even when her eight-year marriage was over, Amanda Canales still wasn’t ready to openly admit just how toxic the relationship with her ex had been.

She had spent a decade with Kevin Lewis and they shared three young children – two girls and a boy. But Amanda had been deeply unhappy and even when they got divorced in June 2017, she lived in fear of him.

Lewis had physically hurt Amanda in the past, leaving her bruised – and despite their separation, the brute was still threatening her.

In August 2017, Amanda was granted full custody of their children. Instead of child support, Lewis was ordered to pay $800 a month. It was a fresh start for Amanda. She focused on her home in Everett, Washington, and as a single mum she was thankful for the support she got from her family.

A month later, she was due to go to New York for work and asked her sister, Alisha CanalesMcGuire, to watch her kids while she was out of town. Alisha, 24, loved her nieces and nephew, and was happy to help. She’d just got married two months earlier and couldn’t wait to start a family of her own.

Hard-working caregiver Alisha finished a long shift as a nursing assistant in a seniors’ facility and went to stay at Amanda’s home. When the children were safely tucked up in bed, she relaxed.

Then, at around 1.55am on 20 September, someone knocked on the door. She rushed to answer it before they woke the children – and when she opened it, she was facing a gunman. Before she could run, Alisha was shot multiple times and slumped on the doorstep bleeding.

Someone dialled 911 and emergency services rushed to the scene, but Alisha was dead. It was an absolutely shocking and seemingly senseless killing. Who would want Alisha dead?