Brandy Rucker and Marious Ward (Memphis Police Dept.); Alexander Bulakhov and family (GoFundMe)
A 23-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman in Tennessee have been arrested for allegedly killing an employee with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, fatally shooting the 32-year-old man while trying to rob him as he was walking with his wife and toddler. Marious Ward, the alleged shooter, and Brandy Rucker, the alleged getaway driver, were both arrested Monday and charged with a spate of felonies, including first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery in the tragic slaying of Alexander Bulakhov, court documents show.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, officers with the Memphis Police Department at about 7:54 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12 responded to an emergency call regarding a robbery with shots fired in the area of 495 Tennessee Street. Upon arriving at the scene, first responders found an adult male — later identified as Bulakhov — suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound.
The victim was transported to Regional One Health in critical condition but later succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead.
Bulakhov’s wife told investigators that they had been walking in the area with their 2-year-old child when a man wearing a black hoodie and a ski mask approached them brandishing a handgun and demanded their property. The victim gave the man his wallet.
“The male then pointed the firearm directly at [Bulakhov’s wife] and demanded more property,” police wrote in the affidavit. “At this time Alexander Bulakhov, in an attempt to defend his wife, struggled with the male over the firearm. During the struggle, Alexander Bulakhov was shot. A 9mm caliber spent shell casing was recovered from the scene.”
Police obtained surveillance footage from the area showing the male suspect exit a white 2013 Toyota Camry with a “specific damage profile” from the passenger side, walk towards the victim and his family before shooting the victim. The Camry had a missing rear bumper, a severely dented passenger side door, and one of the rear windows was broken out and covered with plastic and tape.
“Several surveillance cameras in the area captured the suspect’s Toyota Camry circling the area, making an erratic U-turn, appearing to be casing for potential victims in the minutes prior to the murder,” police wrote.
Police on Monday, Nov. 13 located a Camry matching the specific damage profile of the vehicle in the surveillance footage in the parking lot of the Whitney Manor Apartments located in the 1500 block of Whitney Avenue. Police watched Rucker and Ward get into the Camry and drive out of the parking lot before conducting a traffic stop. Ward was found to have a 9mm handgun in his waistband and the two were taken to the station for questioning.
“Rucker admitted to being the driver of the Toyota Camry, watch[ing] Ward exit the Camry with a handgun in his hand and walk[ing] toward the area of 495 Tennessee St. before hurrying back to the vehicle and advising her to flee the area,” the affidavit states. “Ward confessed to being the gunman responsible for the murder of Alexander Bulakhov. Ward further advised that the 9mm handgun found in his possession was the same weapon used during the murder.”
St. Jude confirmed in a statement that the victim was a member of the St. Jude community, per Little Rock, Arkansas NBC affiliate KARK.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a valued member of the St. Jude community. Our thoughts are with Alexander’s family and we are working to support them during this difficult time,” St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital said in a statement.
A LinkedIn profile believed to be Bulakhov’s reportedly stated that he was a post-doctoral researcher at the hospital.
In addition to the murder and robbery charges, Rucker and Ward are also facing one count each of murder in perpetration of an aggravated robbery, attempted first-degree murder, employing a firearm in the commission of a felony, and attempted aggravated robbery.
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