On a tragic day in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, 31-year-old Tiffany Dale Cartee’s life was cut short. On December 22, 2016, Tiffany was driving a car with her boyfriend, Jefferson Lee Perry III, in the front passenger seat and two other individuals as passengers. In a sudden act of violence, Perry shot Tiffany in the head. The vehicle, a 2003 Ford Expedition, veered off Bennett Dairy Road and crashed into a tree.
Following the crash, Perry fled the scene, leaving Tiffany and the
other occupants behind. The two witnesses in the vehicle identified Perry as the shooter. Law enforcement was quick to respond, and a canine tracking team from the Sheriff's Office was deployed to locate Perry. They found him concealed in the crawl space of a nearby residence, his clothes soaked in blood.
Jefferson Lee Perry III, who was 26 at the time, was arrested and faced charges for his crime. He ultimately pleaded guilty to murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. For the murder of Tiffany Cartee, a judge sentenced him to a 40-year prison term. The sentence came with the stipulation that he would not be eligible for parole or early release. Perry had a prior criminal record that included convictions for multiple drug and property crimes.
