WAVY.com

Reward upped to $20K for suspect in killing of Franklin 10-year-old

FRANKLIN, Va. (WAVY) — The reward has been increased to $20,000 for information that leads to the arrest of murder suspect Tashawnda Nicole Drayton.

Drayton, 24, has been wanted since the August 9 killing of Franklin 10-year-old La’Marj Holden. U.S. Marshals think family and close associates on the East Coast have been helping to hide Drayton in the meantime.


Specifically, they say Drayton is likely in either Hampton Roads or Richmond; New York City; Wilmington, Delaware; the Gaffney area of South Carolina; or Atlanta.

Photos of Tashawnda Drayton shared by U.S. Marshals.

Drayton goes by the rap name “23 Brazy” and nickname “Punnie” and also known to identify as male under the name “Berlin Montrell,” authorities say.

Drayton is about 5 feet 11 inches tall and roughly 250 pounds, and has “only loyalty” tattooed above her left eyebrow. There are also several tattoos, including “blessed” on the left side of her neck and “stay Brazy” across her knuckles.

She’s wanted on charges of first-degree murder in connection to the death of Holden, and attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding for shooting and injuring a man in that same August 9 incident, authorities say.

The $20,000 reward is being offered by the U.S. Marshals Service, which has an online tip line here.