Piggly Wiggly Shooting Suspect Captured In Tennessee

CHATTANOOGA, TN - A suspect in the Christmas Eve shooting of a Piggly Wiggly employee inside the store's 29th Avenue North location has been captured in Tennessee. U.S. Marshals took 30-year-old Sharonda James into custody in Chattanooga shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday.

James is charged with murder in the Dec. 24 death of Jerika Manuel, a 28-year-old mother who was killed while at work at the grocery store. James has a violent criminal history including an arrest earlier this year on kidnapping and assault charges as well as a 2010 charge of capital murder, which was later dismissed, according to an Alabama Media Group report.

Birmingham PD Sgt. Johnny Williams said James entered the store after an altercation before James entered the store and shot Manuel. James fled the scene before police arrived.

(For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Patch morning newsletter.)

In mid-January, Birmingham police enlisted the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force to help find James. On Tuesday morning, they received information on her possible whereabouts - a house in the 1600 block of Glowmont Drive in Chattanooga - and forwarded that lead to their counterparts in Tennessee. They set up brief surveillance on the home, and eventually knocked on the door. U.S. Marshal Marty Keely said James answered the door, and was taken into custody without incident.

She is being taken to the Hamilton County Jail where she will be held pending extradition to Alabama.

Photo via Birmingham PD