Woman told 911 she shot her boyfriend, police say. The family found his body the next day.

The day before relatives found Tommy Marshall’s body, Yashicer Pritchett called police to report she’d shot the boyfriend she’d been living with on Columbus’ Melvin Avenue., authorities said.

That was on March 22, the same day Pritchett, 43, checked herself into the Bradley Center for mental-health treatment. She reported that the day before – on Wednesday, March 21 – she had shot someone once at 214 Melvin Ave., and police should go there to check on the victim.

Officers did go there, police Cpl. D.D. Baker testified Friday in Columbus Recorder’s Court, but they found the home secure, with no signs of trouble, and Marshall’s Jeep and pickup truck were parked outside. Finding no evidence of a crime, the police left.

Around 4 p.m. the next day, March 23, Marshall’s family called 911, asking that police check on Marshall’s welfare. Before officers dispatched to that call arrived, they were informed the family had found Marshall’s body.

Baker said Marshall, 51, died from a single gunshot wound in a bedroom Pritchett had occupied. Police found a 9 mm shell casing in the room, and noticed Marshall died holding a screwdriver in his hand, the detective said.

Investigators identified Pritchett’s voice on the March 22 call reporting she’d shot someone, Baker said, but they couldn’t arrest her until she was released from the Bradley Center. The police fugitive squad picked her up April 11.

Pritchett declined to talk to detectives, Baker said.

Pritchett’s initial Recorder’s Court hearing had been set for April 13, but it was delayed a week when the judge was told Pritchett’s family wanted to hire a private attorney.

But on Friday no private attorney appeared, and she was represented by public defender Owen Lynch.

Prosecutor Matt Brown asked Baker if Marshall died from being shot only once, and Baker said he had. Brown said that confirmed what Pritchett reported on her March 22 call to police.

Authorities said Marshall was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the head at 4:59 p.m. March 23.

Judge Julius Hunter found probable cause to send Pritchett’s case to Muscogee Superior Court. He could not by law set a bond on her murder charge.

According to his March 29 obituary in the Ledger-Enquirer, Marshall’s full name was Tommy Ellis Marshall Jr., but he went by the nickname “Lil Tommy.”

The son of Lucille “Lula” Berry Archie and Tommy E. Marshall Sr., he was born in Columbus, went to Carver High School and graduated from Hallie Turner High School.

He worked more than 26 years for the Coca Cola Company, and played for the Columbus Star football team. A member of Pinehurst Baptist Church, he had a sister, five brothers, and a child.

This story was originally published April 20, 2018 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Woman told 911 she shot her boyfriend, police say. The family found his body the next day.."