DECATUR, Ga. — The mother of a woman who was killed nearly five years ago said "justice is served" on Friday as the man convicted of murder in the case was given life in prison without parole, plus 10 years.
Tyrika Terrell was 22 years old and the mother of a six-month-old with Quantez Tyre in November 2017 when he shot and killed her, after she'd reported several domestic violence incidents in the weeks following the child's birth.
"Closure, peace, I'm glad it's finally come to an end," said Eugenia Terrell, Tyrika's mother.
The case had wound through the legal system after several delays, including from the pandemic.
"It's been five years come Thanksgiving," Eugenia Terrell said Friday. "Relief, yes it's a burden lifted... now we can move on."
"That's it," she added. "Thank you lord."
Terrell and Tyre had broken up a month prior to the shooting, and according to the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office on the day of the shooting he "repeatedly called and texted the victim, communicating that he would be waiting for her when she left work."
Terrell, a postal worker at the Wesley Chapel Post Office in Decatur, called 911 as she was leaving work to report Tyre waiting for her and that "she didn't feel comfortable leaving alone," but officers were dispatched to the wrong location.
When she left work, he was out back and she told him she'd called police.
"After a brief call between the two parties, Defendant Tyre was seen by a witness and on surveillance video walking toward the back of the Wesley Chapel Post Office. Several shots were fired, and then Tyre ran through the wood line toward Snapfinger Road. DeKalb County Police arrived on scene shortly after, and the victim was transported to Grady Hospital where she died of a gunshot wound to the head," the DA said.
Tyre was arrested four days later.
Eugenia Terrell, the grandmother of Tyrika and Tyre's child, said it's difficult to explain to the now five-year-old all that has happened in the case.
"It's very tough. She already has questions that we can't answer, because she's so young, she wouldn't understand," Eugenia said.
She said she wanted her daughter to be remembered for how witty and smart she was.
"She was joyful, she was uplifting, she had a bright future ahead of her," Eugenia said.
"He has to suffer for what he did," she added of Tyre. "That's just it, you do the crime you have to do the time."