Tyler Terry, the man from South Carolina who was connected to two murders in his home state, one in Memphis, and two more in St. Louis County during 2021, has pleaded guilty and received a life sentence for the multi-state killing spree. The hearing took place on Monday in Clayton, Missouri.
After extensive negotiations involving county prosecutors in South Carolina and Tennessee, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has reached a plea agreement with Terry. The agreement involves the waiver of the death penalty by prosecutors in all three jurisdictions in exchange for Terry’s guilty pleas. This deal is aimed at avoiding the lengthy and costly appeals process associated with death penalty cases.
St. Louis County prosecutors have stated that the unified plea agreement eliminates the possibility of any future legal challenges in any state.
In St. Louis County Circuit Court on Monday, Terry admitted his guilt and pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, one count of first-degree robbery, and seven counts of armed criminal action.
In York, South Carolina, Terry has been charged with the murder of Terry Hardin, a transgender woman, who was killed on May 2, 2021. According to previous reports, Hardin and Terry were in a romantic relationship.
On May 17, 2021, Simpson engaged in a shootout with Chester County police that led to his arrest. Meanwhile, Terry managed to evade authorities and became the subject of a massive manhunt in South Carolina for almost a week. Eventually, on May 24, 2021, Terry was apprehended in Chester County.
In Memphis, Tennessee, Terry and Simpson were also connected to the killing of Danterrio Coats.
According to Rick Knox, the executive director of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, the crime that occurred on Delmar Boulevard was a heinous one that shook the entire St. Louis metropolitan area. The victims, who were assaulted while returning home from dinner, were simply going about their business. Even Dr. Zacharev, who had just arrived from Florida, was minding his own business when the attack took place.
The court has issued an order to keep the Simpson case sealed, as per the St. Louis County Circuit Court.
