DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit police on Tuesday morning announced an arrest in the December murder of a 53-year-old mother outside of a Detroit store that shook the community.
Tracie Golden, a mother and wife, was murdered outside Beverage One on Outer Drive and Grand River just before New Year's Eve.
"Ms. Golden did what any of us would do and take for granted every day, she stopped at a store in her neighborhood on her way home from work," said Detroit Police Chief James White.
Police released chilling surveillance video after the shooting. They say the gunman shot Tracie, robbed her, and then stole her car.
Chief White said his team and partners worked tirelessly to solve the case.
“Folks that victimize our community will be relentlessly pursued,” said Chief White.
Police say the suspect in the case, Bradley Doss Thurman, 19, robbed a dollar store on 7 Mile a day after the shooting. That's where investigators say Tracie's vehicle was recovered as evidence.
On January 13, Thurman was taken into custody. Chief White said has he is currently being held on a $4 million bond.
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office says Thurman was arraigned on one count of Premeditated First-Degree Murder, one count of Felony Murder, one count of Armed Robbery, and two counts of Felony Firearm.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Tracie Golden after this senseless crime. I have been doing this work for a very long time. I still cannot wrap my brain around the fact that people kill because they want something that someone else has. In this case the defendant allegedly shot Ms. Golden for her car. He took her car and her life. One can be replaced but the other cannot,” said Prosecutor Kym Worthy in a statement.
Thurman's probable cause conference is scheduled for January 24 at 8:30 a.m. and his preliminary exam is set for January 31 at 1:45 p.m.
7 Action News spoke to Tracie's husband earlier in the investigation — who told us his wife had been his high school sweetheart.
"My rock. My heart. My everything. Everyone that knows her and me knows how we felt about each other," said John Golden, Tracie's husband.
At the press conference on Tuesday, John said he appreciated law enforcement's work to make an arrest, adding "I will never have closure because my angel is not here.”
