The night of February 22 began like any other for 29-year-old Terrica Tabor, a mother of three. But by 9:45 p.m., as she sat in the passenger seat of a car parked at the Starlight Inn on Third Street in South Memphis, her life was violently cut short — and the woman accused of killing her vanished into the night.
Now, after five months on the run, Janae Bradley, 31, is finally behind bars, charged with first-degree murder in a killing that left a family shattered and authorities scrambling for answers.
A Murder in the Dark
According to police and eyewitness statements, Tabor had been sitting in the car with her sister and boyfriend outside the Starlight Inn when they spotted a woman lurking on a stairwell nearby. She wore a black hooded jacket and appeared to be watching them.
Moments later, the woman — later identified as Bradley — descended the stairs and approached the vehicle.
Without warning, three shots rang out. Tabor’s sister told investigators that the gunfire came from the passenger side, hitting Terrica multiple times. As Tabor bled in the front seat, Bradley allegedly screamed chilling words:
“I told you, b! I told you!”
Then she fled the scene on foot.
Emergency responders rushed Tabor to Regional One Health, where she was later pronounced dead. She was 29 years old and the mother of three children, all under the age of 10.
The Search for a Killer
For months, Memphis police sought answers. Why had Tabor been targeted? And where had her killer gone?
Still images from surveillance cameras at the motel proved instrumental. Investigators used the footage to match Bradley’s appearance in a six-person photo lineup, ultimately identifying her as the suspect.
But the arrest would not come quickly.
A Quiet Capture, a Long-Awaited Arrest
On Tuesday, July 15, authorities finally caught up with Janae Bradley, arresting her and booking her into the Shelby County Jail. She now faces a first-degree murder charge with her bond set at $90,000.
Her first court hearing is scheduled for Friday morning, July 18, where prosecutors may begin to reveal more about the motive behind the attack.
While the reason for the five-month delay in Bradley’s capture remains unclear, Tabor’s family says they have long suspected the accused killer.
“I believe they were close friends,” said Tabor’s aunt in a tearful statement. “That’s what makes this so hard. She trusted her.”
A Family Left Behind
Terrica Tabor’s death has left an indelible mark on her family — particularly her three young children, who are now growing up without their mother.
