A Louisiana man was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, on Thursday night after allegedly killing his wife and driving with her body in the passenger seat of his vehicle. Tyronne Brazille, 50, was stopped by Memphis police during a traffic stop downtown, where officers discovered his wife, Lanessa Bradford, also 50, deceased from a gunshot wound.
Investigators believe the incident began earlier that day at Independence Community Park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. According to authorities, an argument between Brazille and Bradford escalated, leading to the fatal shooting. Brazille then allegedly fled the scene with Bradford’s body, driving for more than five hours across state lines before the traffic stop in Memphis.
A longtime friend of the couple, Shelicka Decker, told WREG that Brazille and Bradford had been married for years but were experiencing marital difficulties. Decker stated that Brazille had been struggling with mental health issues and that Bradford had confided in her about plans to leave him. According to Decker, Bradford had saved money and intended to leave her car and belongings behind to disappear.
Decker also shared that Bradford had previously reported threats from Brazille, who would allegedly threaten to kill her or himself if she attempted to leave. However, Decker expressed surprise that Brazille would harm Bradford, suggesting she had not believed he would act on his threats. She noted that while he had threatened suicide before, she did not anticipate him killing his wife.
Brazille was booked as a fugitive by the Memphis Police Department. He is awaiting extradition back to Louisiana, where he is expected to face a murder charge in connection with Bradford's death. His court date is scheduled for Monday.