A Tennessee man has become the second person to plead guilty in the horrific 2022 killing of 22-year-old Mya Fuller, who was lured to a party, beaten, locked in a car trunk, and fatally shot. According to investigators, Fuller was shot seven times and her body was dumped in an abandoned lot in rural Wilson County. Police described the case as one of the most disturbing crimes they had seen in recent years.
On Tuesday, October 14, Ty’Shawne Bowles pleaded guilty to facilitation of especially aggravated kidnapping and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Prosecutors said Bowles became involved after learning that his sister, Taiyana Tipton, had a dispute with Fuller the night before the killing.
The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference said Tipton and Fuller had a heated argument that escalated into violence. Tipton later identified Fuller to her brother, who contacted Fuller on social media and invited her to a party that night. Fuller went after leaving work, unaware that it was a setup.
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At the party, the confrontation between Tipton and Fuller turned physical. Witnesses said Tipton eventually forced Fuller into the trunk of her car and drove to a remote area in Wilson County. There, Tipton shot Fuller seven times, leaving her body in a deserted lot, according to WKRN.
Bowles admitted that he witnessed part of the attack and heard Tipton say, “pop the trunk,” but claimed he never saw Fuller being placed inside the vehicle. He told police he followed his sister’s car but eventually lost sight of her. Earlier this year, Tipton pleaded guilty to all charges related to Fuller’s death and was sentenced to life in prison.
During Bowles’ sentencing, Fuller’s mother, Tonya Fuller, expressed outrage at what she viewed as a lenient punishment. “Mya was murdered, she was beaten, and was tossed just like trash,” she said. “For a year and a half, the defense did nothing. Silence. Quiet. Cowards. Today, we stand here with life for the defendants, and my daughter — genius, smart, kind, has never done anything to anybody — and we stay here under justice.”
District Attorney Jason Lawson told reporters that Bowles’ plea reflected his level of involvement. “He invited her there, and so he has responsibility,” Lawson said. “But the evidence does not show he intended or participated in her death.” A third suspect, La’Myra Pipkins, is also charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder in connection with Fuller’s killing. Her trial is scheduled to begin in November.