In the summer of 2016, a tragedy unfolded in Grand Blanc, Michigan, cutting short the life of 20-year-old Lyric Bryce Work. On July 26, 2016, while at her job as a leasing agent at the Grand Oaks Apartments, Work was shot. She was rushed to Hurley Medical Center in Flint, where she was placed on life support. At the time of the shooting, she was pregnant, and her daughter was delivered seven weeks prematurely via cesarean section. Despite the efforts of medical staff, Work succumbed to her injuries three days later on July 29, 2016.
The incident that claimed Lyric Work's life also resulted in the death of her 45-year-old co-worker, Tamara Johnson, who was fatally shot at the scene. The shooter was identified as Jacquelyne Tyson, a 54-year-old resident of the apartment complex. Investigators considered the possibility that Tyson believed people were entering her apartment without permission as a potential motive for the violent outburst.
Following the shooting, Jacquelyne Tyson was arrested and faced legal proceedings in Genesee County Circuit Court. She was charged with the premeditated murder of both Lyric Work and Tamara Johnson. After a non-jury trial, Tyson was found guilty but mentally ill of first-degree murder in the death of Lyric Work and second-degree murder for the death of Tamara Johnson. The distinction in the charges stemmed from the court's finding that after shooting Johnson, Tyson took deliberate action to cross a common area before shooting Work. Tyson was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During the sentencing, the families of both victims were given the opportunity to address the court and share the profound impact of their loss.
