Getaway driver arrested again in St. Jude Hospital doctor's murder case

Left: Britany Rucker (Shelby County Jail). Right: Alexander Bulakhov (GoFundMe).

A 23-year-old Tennessee woman who allegedly served as a getaway driver for her boyfriend accused of murdering a St. Jude Children's Hospital employee during an armed robbery is back behind bars seven months after a judge dropped charges against her.

According to court records, Brandy A. Rucker was booked into the Shelby County Jail on Monday on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated assault. Memphis police said Rucker and 24-year-old Marious Antwan Ward were allegedly driving around in November 2023 looking for people to rob when they came across Alexander Bulakhov, his wife and their 2-year-old child, who were out for a walk.

After shooting Bulakhov, Ward ran back to Rucker's car and drove away from the scene, police said. Police arrested Rucker and Ward on murder and robbery charges a few days after the incident. But Shelby County General Sessions Court Judge Sheila B. Renfroe dismissed the charges in January for lack of probable cause “because law enforcement was unable to identify Rucker,” said Erica R. Williams, director of communications and public affairs for the Shelby County District Attorney's Office.

Williams said prosecutors would send the case to a grand jury so they could indict Rucker in criminal court. That's exactly what they did, charging her in April, which ultimately led to Monday's arrest. She is in jail on $1 million bail.

A grand jury also indicted Ward on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated assault after the charges were transferred from the General Sessions to criminal court. He has been in jail since his arrest, but Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy criticized a judge's decision on Ward's bail in June.

“This is a violent crime involving a firearm against an innocent man for which there is overwhelming evidence. Our office argued at trial that the defendant poses a danger to the community, that the facts of the case are egregious, that the likelihood of conviction is exceptionally high, and that the expected sentence is equal to or greater than life imprisonment. The court rejected these arguments and set bail at $275,000,” Mulroy wrote. “As argued at trial, we believe this bail amount is inadequate and does not adequately reflect the seriousness of the crime, the likelihood of conviction, and the danger to the community.”

As Law&Crime previously reported, officers with the Memphis Police Department responded to a 911 call about a robbery with shots fired in the area of 495 Tennessee Street at around 7:54 p.m. on November 12. When they arrived at the scene, first responders found an adult male – later identified as Bulakhov – with what appeared to be a gunshot wound.

The victim was taken to Regional One Health in critical condition but later succumbed to his injuries.

Bulakhov's wife told investigators that they were walking in the area with their two-year-old child when a man wearing a black hoodie and ski mask approached them with a gun and demanded their property. The victim gave the man his wallet.

“Then the man pointed the gun directly at [Bulakhov’s wife] and demanded more property,” police wrote in the affidavit. “At this point, Alexander Bulakhov, defending his wife, struggled with the man for the firearm. During the struggle, Alexander Bulakhov was shot. A spent 9 mm cartridge case was recovered at the scene.”

Police obtained surveillance footage from the area showing the male suspect exiting a white 2013 Toyota Camry – with a “specific damage profile” on the passenger side – and walking toward the victim and his family before shooting the victim. The Camry was missing its rear bumper and the passenger door was badly dented, and one of the rear windows was smashed and covered with plastic and tape.

“Multiple surveillance cameras in the area recorded the suspect circling the area in his Toyota Camry and making an erratic U-turn, apparently looking for potential victims in the minutes before the murder,” police wrote.

On November 13, police spotted a Camry in the parking lot of the Whitney Manor Apartments in the 1500 block of Whitney Avenue that exactly matched the damage profile of the vehicle seen on surveillance footage. Police observed Rucker and Ward getting into the Camry and driving out of the parking lot before conducting a traffic stop. A 9mm handgun was found in Ward's waistband and the two were taken to the station for questioning.

“Rucker admitted to being the driver of the Toyota Camry,[ing] Ward leaves the Camry with a gun in his hand and goes[ing] toward 495 Tennessee St. before rushing back to the vehicle and advising her to leave the area,” the affidavit states. “Ward confessed to being the shooter responsible for the murder of Alexander Bulakhov. Ward also stated that the 9mm pistol found in his possession was the same weapon used during the murder.”

A LinkedIn profile believed to be Bulakhov's stated that he was a postdoctoral fellow at St. Jude's.

Jerry Lambe contributed to this report

Do you have a tip we should know? [email protected]

Getaway driver arrested again in St. Jude Hospital doctor's murder case

You may also like...

Recent Posts

Getaway driver arrested again in St. Jude Hospital doctor's murder case

You may also like...

Calgary man charged with murder of toddler released on bail

Heritage Days 2024 in Longjumeau (91), visits and events on the programme

Assault suspect arrested, fiancé charged with obstruction of justice

Recent Posts