Days before her jury trial was set to begin, a Nashville woman has pleaded guilty to all charges relating to the death of Mya Fuller. Taiyana Tipton appeared in a Wilson County Courtroom today for the purpose to ensuring that all parties were ready to start the trial next week. Instead, Tipton decided to plead guilty to all charges.
The plea is an “open” plea, in which prosecutors made no agreement as to a sentence and did not dismiss or lessen any of the charges. Judge Brody Kane immediately sentenced Tipton to a life sentence for the crime of 1st degree premeditated murder, another life sentence for felony first degree murder, and set a sentencing hearing in July to sentence Tipton for the crimes of kidnapping and abuse of a corpse. As the two life sentences were for the same victim, and simply different legal theories the prosecutors intended to present to the jury, those sentences will merge into a single life sentence.
“This morning’s plea was a not something that had been communicated to us whatsoever,” said Jason Lawson, District Attorney. “We were prepared to go to trial next week and to achieve this same result at the hands of a jury.”
During the morning in court, Tipton decided not to take the case to trial, and her attorney completed a plea form and delivered it to the prosecutors. Prosecutors took a recess, and talked with the Fuller family about the development, who were present in the courtroom as they have been at each court appearance. The family agreed to the plea, as it was a plea to all charges as charged without any reduction or agreed upon sentence. Further, a plea of guilty contains a waiver of any appeal of the case.
In the facts of the case, Assistant District Attorney Tammy Meade outlined that Tipton had a disagreement with Mya Fuller on the night previous to the murder. During the next day, Tipton identified Mya to her brother, who contacted Mya and invited her to a party that night. After Mya left work at Geodis Park, she ultimately went to the party where a confrontation occurred between Tipton and Mya, resulting in a fight. At the conclusion of the fight, Tipton put Mya in the trunk of her car, and drove away with her to Wilson County, where she shot Mya seven times on a piece of property that was in the early stages of development. Mya’s body was found later, where Wilson County Sheriff’s Office detectives also located seven shell casings. Over the next several months, Tipton was developed as a suspect which ultimately led to her arrest and conviction. Tipton has remained in custody since the time of her arrest.
“Today was about getting justice for Mya,” said DA Lawson. “In my law enforcement career, this investigation ranks among the best I have ever seen. I cannot say enough about the work of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Metro-Davidson County Police Department. Particularly lead Detective Walker Woods and Detective Travis Donnell, their efforts are what solved this very difficult case.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Tammy Meade and Deputy District Attorney Justin Harris. “Over the last month, the amount of meticulous work put into this case by ADA Meade and DDA Harris left me no doubt that we were ready for trial next week. I credit each of them for the excellent work that brought this conviction to fruition.”