In the spring of 2021, a concerned friend's call for a welfare check led to a grim discovery in a home on Lowry Row in York, South Carolina. Inside, police found the body of 35-year-old Thomas Hardin. Hardin, a Black individual who identified as a woman and used both male and female pronouns, had been shot and killed. The nature of the scene immediately prompted a homicide investigation by the York Police Department.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on a suspect with a violent history and a past romantic connection to Hardin. Law enforcement identified Tyler Terry, 26, as the primary suspect in Hardin's murder. It was reported that Hardin had previously provided Terry with a place to live, but their relationship had soured, and Hardin had asked him to leave months before the killing. In the time leading up to the incident, Terry had allegedly sent threatening messages to Hardin.
The case took a dramatic turn as Terry, along with a suspected accomplice, Adrienne Simpson, became the subjects of a multi-state manhunt. Before being apprehended, the pair was linked to a violent crime spree that included other homicides and shootings. Simpson was taken into custody first and was identified as the driver of the getaway car on the night of Hardin's murder. After an intense week-long search, Tyler Terry was captured and taken into custody. Both Terry and Simpson faced charges related to the series of violent crimes, including the murder of Thomas Hardin.
