‘Where was his mind?’: Louisiana man allegedly drove across state lines with shot wife propped in passenger seat

A routine traffic stop in downtown Memphis took a disturbing turn when officers allegedly discovered a dead woman in the passenger seat of a car. The victim was identified as 50-year-old Lanessa Bradford of Baton Rouge. Police said she had been shot to death.

Officers arrested 50-year-old Tyronne Brazille on Thursday night after finding Bradford’s body inside the vehicle. According to WREG, investigators believe the couple had been together in Baton Rouge before the fatal shooting.

Bradford’s longtime friend Shelicka Decker said Bradford had planned to leave Brazille. She said Bradford had saved money and was preparing to disappear. Bradford reportedly planned to leave her car and belongings behind before reconnecting with family members who lived out of town.

Leaving is always the most dangerous part

Baton Rouge investigators said Bradford and Brazille were at Independence Community Park before her death. Police allege the pair argued there and Brazille shot Bradford. Investigators then allege Brazille left Baton Rouge and drove through several states. 

His journey ended in Memphis when police stopped the vehicle and discovered Bradford’s body. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that an alleged crime was attempted to be covered up, as we’ve seen in a recent Canterbury case.

Decker said Bradford had previously told her that Brazille threatened to kill himself or her whenever she talked about leaving. She said she had not believed he would act on those threats. “Where was his mind at during that ride?” Decker said while describing the trip as heartbreaking and difficult to understand.

Decker also said Brazille had not physically assaulted Bradford until the previous few months. She described the alleged killing as shocking because suicide threats had seemed more likely to her than violence against Bradford. A similar sense of disbelief emerged in Ohio recently when a surgeon was charged with killing his ex-wife and her husband. 

Bradford worked at an elementary school in Baton Rouge. The school reportedly contacted police for a welfare check after she missed several days of work.

Decker said Bradford never had children of her own. However, she cared deeply for children and supported many families through her work at the school. She remembered Bradford as someone who uplifted people. Decker also expressed sympathy for both families because they had all known one another. 

Brazille was taken into custody in Memphis as a fugitive. He was scheduled to appear in court Monday while awaiting extradition to Louisiana. Once returned to Baton Rouge, police said Brazille will face a murder charge connected to Bradford’s death.