A man from Louisiana is accused of shooting his wife and then driving through several states with her body in the passenger seat before getting pulled over by police.
Tyrone Brazile, 50, was taken into custody Thursday evening in downtown Memphis after officers discovered his wife, Lanessa Bradford, 50, dead from a gunshot wound next to him in the car. Reports indicate that the incident came to light during a routine traffic stop.
Authorities in Baton Rouge state that the couple had a dispute at Independence Community Park, located about 130 miles northwest of New Orleans, during which Brazile allegedly shot his wife.
After the shooting, he reportedly fled with Bradford’s body, driving through multiple states for over five hours until Memphis police made the grim find during the traffic stop.
A longtime friend, Shericka Decker, mentioned that the couple had been married for a significant time but had recently encountered difficulties. Decker stated that Bradford had been dealing with mental health struggles and had planned to leave her husband, indicating she had broken away from him the month prior.
“She was saving money. She was making plans to disappear, which seemed like the only way out for her,” Decker shared.
Decker added that Bradford had intended to leave her vehicle and everything behind, aiming to reconnect with her family who lived elsewhere.
The duration of their marriage is still not clear.
According to Decker, Bradford, who was employed at a Baton Rouge elementary school, had confided in her about threats from Brazile every time she attempted to leave him. However, she didn’t truly believe he would go as far as harming her.
“He hadn’t physically harmed her until maybe just a couple of months ago,” Decker noted.
“I wouldn’t have been shocked if someone told me he took his own life because that was often his talk. But I was taken aback that he killed her.”
Decker expressed bewilderment regarding why Brazile would travel with Bradford’s body after the incident.
“There are so many questions, like what was he doing with her in the car at that time,” she pondered. “It’s all just so odd and heartbreaking.”
While the couple did not have children, Decker highlighted Bradford’s love for kids, particularly through her work at the school.
“It’s a truly sad situation. Like many, she was a good person who inspired a lot of others,” Decker reminisced, extending her thoughts to both families impacted by this tragedy.
Brazile was apprehended by Memphis police as a fugitive and is set to appear in court on Monday, where he will await extradition back to Louisiana.
If he is extradited, murder charges related to Bradford’s death are anticipated.
