Man Found Guilty of 2022 Murder of Girlfriend

Shelby County, TN— Following a week-long trial, a jury has found Byron Pipkin guilty of the 2022 murder of his girlfriend, Marquicha Thomas. The trial, which concluded on Saturday, saw a culmination of evidence and testimony that led to a guilty verdict on all charges: First Degree Premeditated Murder, Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm- prior violent felony (B felony), Possession of a Firearm during the Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, and Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm- prior felony (E felony).

On June 30, 2022, Pipkin allegedly shot and killed Thomas at a residence in Cordova, taking her now 7-year-old child (six at the time of the offense) and fleeing the scene.

During the trial, three children testified: a 12-year-old (10 at the time of offense), an 11-year-old (9 at the time of offense), and a 7-year-old (6 at the time of offense). The now 12-year-old, who witnessed his mother gunned down by the defendant in their front yard, played a crucial role in providing evidence. The prosecution established that after Pipkin shot the victim, he then moved her body into the garage, where the 12-year-old was hiding in a car. Following the incident, Pipkin fled the scene with the now 7-year-old child.

He eventually left the child at the residence of a friend of a family member before being captured the next day after a tense 3-hour standoff with SWAT at a motel in Memphis.

Assistant District Attorneys Leslie Byrd and Alanda Dwyer prosecuted the case. With over 30 years of experience as an attorney, Dwyer swiftly enlisted the assistance of a firearm expert to bolster the state's case.

Pipkin is scheduled to be sentenced on April 1, 2024.