On a summer evening in Memphis, Tennessee, the life of 34-year-old Tannica LaShea Pruitt, a mother of two, was tragically cut short. On August 20, 2017, the African American woman was on the porch of a home in the 1400 block of Decatur Street in North Memphis when a confrontation turned deadly. She was shot multiple times and, despite being rushed to the Regional Medical Center, she ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
The incident that led to her death reportedly stemmed from a dispute involving the daughter of one of the men who would later be charged in her murder. Witnesses stated that Marcus Buford, 45, confronted Pruitt about this dispute. During the heated exchange, Buford allegedly instructed 33-year-old Donald McCoy, also known as 'Struball,' to give him a gun. With the weapon in hand, Buford is said to have shot Pruitt repeatedly.
Following an investigation into the fatal shooting, authorities arrested both Buford and McCoy. Buford was charged with first-degree murder. McCoy faced a charge of facilitation of first-degree murder. Both men were taken into custody and held at the Shelby County Jail. In August 2018, a grand jury indicted both men in connection with Pruitt's death. Buford was indicted on charges of first-degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun, while McCoy was indicted for facilitation to commit first-degree murder and also for being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. The case was assigned to the Shelby County District Attorney's Special Prosecution Unit, which focuses on seeking maximum sentences for repeat felony offenders.
