In the early morning hours of October 1, 2020, the life of 42-year-old Tammy Hawthorne was tragically cut short in a drive-by shooting on Lamar Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. Responding to a call about a wounding at approximately 3:00 a.m., Memphis Police Department officers discovered Hawthorne suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into her death led authorities to review video surveillance from the area, which captured a suspect in the
vicinity prior to the homicide. After releasing the suspect's image to the media, a crucial tip from Crime Stoppers identified the individual as Randall Durrell French. This lead prompted investigators to obtain a warrant for his Facebook account, where they found messages between French and another individual, Taylor Janae Williams, discussing the killing. Further investigation revealed that just hours after the shooting, Williams had listed the vehicle used in the incident for sale.
On September 24, 2021, both Williams and French were brought in for questioning. During her interview, Williams waived her rights and confessed to being the person who shot Tammy Hawthorne. She also admitted to selling the vehicle used in the crime. In a separate interview, French also waived his rights and admitted to driving the vehicle during the shooting, positioning it for Williams, but denied being the shooter himself.
In April 2022, a grand jury indicted both individuals in connection with Hawthorne's death. Taylor Janae Williams, 24 at the time, was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder. Randall Durrell French, then 32, was indicted for facilitation of first-degree murder. Following the indictments, Williams was held without bond, while French's bond was set at $200,000.
