More than $130,000 has been raised on GoFundMe for Natalie and Davy Lloyd, American missionaries who were shot and killed while serving in Haiti.
Natalie Lloyd, 21, daughter of Missouri state Rep. Ben Baker, and her husband Davy Lloyd, 23, were ambushed by gang members in Port-au-Prince while returning from a youth event on May 23, The Roys Report (TRR) previously reported. The couple was a part of Missions in Haiti, Inc., an organization established by Davy Lloyd’s parents in 2000.
Jude Montis, 20, the Haitian director of Missions in Haiti, also died in the attack.
Two fundraising campaigns were set up to cover funeral expenses and transportation costs for bringing the couple’s remains back to the U.S.
Missouri state Rep. Dirk Deaton and family-friend Chris Slinkard, set up a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $76,000 from 415 donations.
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The second campaign, started by the family’s pastor, Jeremie Bridges, has raised more than $56,000. One anonymous donor gave a $10,000 gift to the cause.
“Davy and Natalie tragically lost their lives while serving children in Haiti. The goal of this fundraiser is to provide funds to assist with funerals and the transportation costs of returning them to the U.S.,” Bridges wrote on the fundraising page. “The family is so grateful for all the prayers and condolences.”
Several scammers have tried to take advantage of the generosity for the couple, Rep. Ben Baker told the Missourinet. “It’s just awful how sometimes, and I’ve never experienced this, that how people can be just so awful in this kind of situation,” Baker said.
Despite this, Baker shared in a Facebook post Friday that Natalie and Davy Lloyd’s remains made it safely to their stateside home in Neosho, Missouri. When their remains were driven through the town, “Hundreds of people that were standing out by their cars and many with their hands over their heart in love,” Baker wrote in another post.
“The outpouring of love and support is just overwhelming,” he said. “A true hero’s reception. God Bless you all . . . Words really aren’t sufficient to express our appreciation.”
A visitation is being held Monday for the couple, and the funeral will be Tuesday morning, Baker said.
Former President Donald Trump recently reached out to the Baker family to offer his condolences, Rep. Baker shared on Facebook.
“Just got off the phone with Donald J. Trump a bit ago who was just calling to offer condolences for Davy and Natalie to Naomi and I,” Baker said. “He mentioned how sorry he was that this evil happened to our kids and how beautiful their devotion was to their calling and to the people of Haiti. He wanted to know if we knew who did this because he wants the criminals brought to justice.”
After the family first learned about the tragedy, Rep. Baker expressed his grief on Facebook and wrote, “My heart is shattered into pieces. I’ve never experienced such agony.”
The Lloyds were married in August 2022 and began serving as full-time missionaries in Haiti in January 2023, according to their obituary.
The couple and Jude Montis were attacked by three truckloads of armed men, according to Facebook post by Missions in Haiti. The men then attacked the missionaries and then took them into a house owned by the organization. There, the assailants reportedly bound, assaulted and robbed Davy.
During this, another gang, who had reportedly heard of the attack, “came to help,” Missions in Haiti said. But instead of helping, they shot at the couple. Representatives from the mission organization attempted to negotiate with gang members but were unsuccessful.
The mission organization has dealt with violent gang activity before.
In a newsletter from May 2023, a staff member of Missions in Haiti wrote about the challenges posed by gang activity. “The gang leader in our area controls one of the ‘nicer gangs’ in Haiti. This gang works to keep the ‘bad guys’ out of our area, and we pray that they will continue to be strong enough to keep some semblance of peace in this area.”
Additionally, in 2005, Davy Lloyd and his siblings, whose parents started Missions in Haiti, were kidnapped in Haiti, according to his obituary. Davy was just five years old at the time. The siblings were “miraculously released the next day with no ransom paid,” the obituary said.
Gang violence in Haiti has escalated in recent years. According to the United Nations, gangs kidnapped, killed, or injured more than 8,400 people in Haiti in 2023. Additionally, the nation’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned earlier this year, TRR previously reported.
Freelance journalist Liz Lykins writes for WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today, Ministry Watch, and other publications.
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2 Responses
Thank you for the story. It would be interesting to know how the excess money will be used – I hope to further the critical missions work in Haiti. Quick note – Jude Montis was in his 40s, I think, not 21.
I have nothing but, admiration and respect for lovely young couple. On the other hand, I don’t want to overly romanticize their deaths. Is it a good idea for American missionaries to be in Haiti right now. Especially since the country is majority Christian as it is. Are we really just trying to convert people from Roman Catholicism to Protestantism? Is that really the hill we want our missionaries to die on.