‘That’s unacceptable to me’: Family of victim reacts to fatal Middleground Rd. shooting

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - WTOC is learning more about the victim of Wednesday’s deadly shooting on Middleground Road in Savannah and the man charged with her death.

Savannah Police say 53-year-old Pierre Byrd is facing murder charges in connection to Wednesday’s shooting.

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Police say they responded to the area based on threats made to the victim.

Thursday WTOC heard from the victim’s family who describes her as a loving mother and cousin and an independent business woman with a heart always willing to help.

“She’s very independent. She’s very happy. She loves to help people,” said Lee Ford describing his cousin.

Lee Ford says the day his cousin Tonya died, she was actually helping the man now suspected of her murder.

“For some odd reason, this guy she wanted to help...was looking for work and she gave him a job,” said Ford. “She gave him a place to stay in her home.”

Ford says his cousin hired Byrd to drive a truck for her business, but she didn’t know his background.

“Due to the fact that he had problems already, a criminal history,” said Ford. “I just thought it was completely wrong to even let someone out like that.”

Byrd’s criminal history dates back to 1989 and includes more than seven years behind bars.

His record includes charges for assault in 1991, aggravated assault with intent to murder/rape/rob in 1999, criminal trespassing in 2000, false imprisonment in 2018, and terroristic threats in 2019.

“If you have that type of crime, that type of record- you shouldn’t be able to be out like that and other people are targeted,” said Ford.

Ford said his cousin was trying to evict Byrd the day of the shooting.

According to Savannah Police, officers were responding to the area Wednesday morning based on threats made to the victim.

When they arrived they found a woman shot and Byrd fleeing the scene in a car.

Byrd was later taken into custody and police recovered a weapon.

Now as Ford’s family plans a funeral, they are also hoping for justice.

“You get out and someone helps you,” said Ford. “And you don’t like what they are doing or you are screwing up and they want to let you go, and you want to go and kill them. That’s just terrible. That’s unacceptable to me.”

In this case, Byrd is charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Savannah Police say this investigation remains on-going.