Brian Halliday, a 28-year-old Black/African American male, died after a late-night shooting on June 1, 2024, in Ellendale, Delaware. Delaware State Police said troopers were called at about 10:47 p.m. to a residence in the 13000 block of South Old State Road after a report of a shooting. When they arrived, they found Halliday in the front yard suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. Troopers began life-saving efforts, and he was taken to an area hospital, but he was pronounced dead there.
Investigators described the shooting as the result of an altercation between Halliday and a woman. According to the preliminary investigation, the woman produced a gun during the confrontation and shot him in the chest before leaving the scene in an unknown direction. What began as an active homicide investigation quickly focused on identifying the woman who police believed had fled after the shooting.
By June 4, 2024, Delaware State Police Homicide Unit investigators had identified the suspect as Tyja Best of Ellendale. Detectives, assisted by the Special Operations Response Team, took Best into custody without incident. Police said she was transported to Troop 5 after her arrest.
Best was charged with first-degree murder, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited. She was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $1,060,000 cash bond. Police continued to describe the case as an active homicide investigation and asked anyone with information to contact Detective B. McDerby.
