Woman pleaded for help on 911 call before deadly shooting at Savannah gas station

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A woman called 911 for help in her final moments, telling dispatchers a man was threatening to kill her before she was shot and killed at a Savannah gas station earlier this month, a detective testified in court Monday.

Pierre Byrd is accused of murdering Tonya Sellers at the Chu’s gas station on Middleground Road. A judge moved the case to Superior Court during Monday’s hearing.

Savannah Police Detective James King testified that Sellers used a bystander’s cell phone to call 911 because Byrd was threatening to kill her. Gunshots can be heard on the emergency call, King said.

“The first initial 911 call was a threat call, 714, in reference to Ms. Seller’s calling 911 asking for police. She stated that someone threatened to kill her. She identified the person making those statements as Pierre Byrd,” King said.

Surveillance video shows attack

Surveillance video from Chu’s shows a man matching Byrd’s description holding a gun, knocking the cell phone out of Sellers’ hand and trying to force her into his car while she was on the phone with 911, King testified.

“During that encounter, you do hear gunshots. From there, during that encounter, he throws her to the ground and puts his foot on top of her as she’s literally got her hands by her face as if she’s begging for him to stop,” King said.

Savannah Police called the shooting a domestic incident.

Victim was trying to help suspect

Family members said Sellers was trying to help Byrd when she was killed. Lee Ford, Sellers’ cousin, said she hired Byrd to drive a truck for her business and gave him a place to stay in her home.

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

Ford said Sellers was trying to evict Byrd the day of the shooting. He said she didn’t know about Byrd’s criminal background when she hired him.

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

Family members described Sellers as a loving mother and cousin, U.S. Army veteran and independent business woman with a heart always willing to help.

Shooting and arrest details

The shooting occurred at about 11 a.m. Dec. 4 at the Marathon gas station connected to Chu’s Convenience Mart at Middleground Road and Mohawk Street. Police were responding to the area based on threats made to the victim when they found Sellers shot and Byrd fleeing the scene in a car.

After traveling about half a mile south on Mohawk Street, Byrd jumped out of the car, and the vehicle ended up in Mohawk Lake. Police took Byrd into custody and recovered the weapon. He was arrested Dec. 3.

Pulaski Elementary was placed on lockdown for about 30 minutes because of the nearby incident.

Criminal history

Police records show Byrd has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1989. He has cumulatively spent roughly over 7 years incarcerated for various crimes.

Byrd has previously been charged with burglary (1989), assault (1991), aggravated assault with intent to murder/rape/rob (1999), entering auto and criminal trespassing (2000), false imprisonment (2018), and terroristic threats (2019), among others.

“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,” Ford said.

Byrd has been charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He remains in jail while his case moves to Superior Court, where a judge will decide whether to grant him bond.

The Sellers family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses and continued support for her children.