Man, woman at center of multi-state killing spree, manhunt plea guilty to SC charges

WSOCTV.com News Staff
·3 min read
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The people at the center of a multi-state killing spree and manhunt last year pleaded guilty to several charges in York and Chester counties on Wednesday.

Tyler Terry and Adrienne Simpson are accused of killing five people between South Carolina, Tennessee and Missouri. They’re also accused of shooting at officers who chased them in Chester County.

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Adrienne Simpson was arrested following the chase in May 2021, but Terry ran into the woods, triggering a weeklong manhunt.

On Wednesday, Terry and Adrienne Simpson entered guilty pleas for multiple charges, including several counts of murder and attempted murder. The judge accepted the pleas from both of the defendants and the two agreed to life in prison with no parole on all charges.

“Today really validates the hard work that went into capturing those two,” said Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey.

The people at the center of a multi-state killing spree and manhunt last year have entered guilty pleas in Chester County court on Wednesday.
The people at the center of a multi-state killing spree and manhunt last year have entered guilty pleas in Chester County court on Wednesday.

Here’s a timeline of the crimes the two are connected to and their arrests:

  • May 2, 2021: Terry allegedly kills 35-year-old Thomas Hardin on Lowry Row in York County. He is also a suspect in two other shootings that also occurred at Erlich Street in Chester and at Taco Bell on JA Cochran Bypass on the same day. Police say Simpson drove the vehicle during the crimes.

  • May 15, 2021, between 8-9 p.m.: The pair allegedly drives to St. Louis. Once there, they steal a license plate from a truck parked in the driveway of a St. Louis County home and put it on their car.

  • May 15, 2021 10:50 p.m.: Terry and Simpson allegedly shoot Stanley and Barbara Goodkin in a St. Louis suburb. Barbara was fatally shot in the head, Stanley was shot in the chest, but his cell phone stopped the bullet.

  • May 15, 2021 shortly before midnight: Terry and Simpson reportedly shoot and kill Dr. Sergei Zacharev outside a Drury Inn while he is waiting for an Uber.

  • May 16, 2021: Terry and Simpson allegedly travel to north St. Louis to purchase drugs before returning to South Carolina.

  • May 17, 2021 2 a.m.: Memphis police officers found a man between 35-45 years old lying unresponsive in the road, near a car that had its emergency flashers on. Police said he has been shot during what looked to be a robbery. Investigators planned to take out warrants against Terry and Simpson for the homicide.

  • May 17, 2021 11 p.m.: Chester County deputies say they try to stop Terry and Simpson’s vehicle -- the same one connected to the St. Louis murders. The suspects reportedly lead them on a high-speed chase while firing shots at deputies. The chase ends in a crash and Simpson is arrested, but Terry ran into nearby woods.

  • May 19, 2021: The body of Simpson’s husband -- Eugene -- is found in Great Falls, South Carolina. He had been missing since May 2.

  • May 21, 2021: Investigators charge Terry and Simpson for Eugene’s murder.

  • May 24, 2021: Tyler Terry is found in Chester County and taken into custody.

Channel 9 covered the case extensively, and spoke with several neighbors who had close run-ins with Terry while he was on the run.

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“I’m standing here for Eugene Simpson because the dead cannot speak for themselves. I miss him so much I miss him,” said Eugene Simpson’s mother, Pamela Simpson.

Adrienne Simpson offered an apology to the victims.

“Y’all have my deepest condolences and I pray for each of you as well as forgiveness and may God be with you all,” she said.

(WATCH BELOW: ‘Stayed in the fight’: Sheriff touts bravery, determination of deputies in SC manhunt)