U.S. Marshals now offer up to $20K for aid in murder suspect’s arrest

Published 4:13 pm Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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The U.S. Marshals Service has increased the reward to $20,000 for information that leads to the arrest of a Virginia woman wanted for the Aug. 9 murder of a 10-year-old boy in Franklin.

A Dec. 6 USMS news release stated that the woman, Tashawnda Nicole Drayton, 24, known by her rap name “23 Brazy,” is also known to identify as a male, according to her family and friends and goes by the name “Berlin Montrell,” along with the nickname of “Punnie.”

Drayton has ties up and down the East Coast, primarily New York City; Wilmington, Delaware; Richmond, Virginia; Hampton Roads, Virginia; Gaffney, South Carolina; and Atlanta.

Drayton is Black, has brown eyes and black hair, is 5 feet 11 inches tall, and weighs approximately 250 pounds. She has “ONLY LOYALTY” tattooed above her left eyebrow, “23 Brazy” in red letters on the left edge of her forehead and continuing onto the left side of her face, “blessed” on the left side of her neck, “Stacy” on the right side of her neck, along with several additional tattoos on her face and neck. Drayton also has multiple tattoos on both of her arms and hands, including “Tinka boo” on her left forearm and “Stay Brazy” across her knuckles.

Drayton has the following outstanding arrest warrants from the City of Franklin Police Department in connection with a shooting that left a 10-year-old boy dead and an adult male injured in Franklin on Aug. 9: first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated malicious wounding, shooting into an occupied dwelling (two counts), use of a firearm in commission of a felony, threat to burn or damage a building, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and discharge of a firearm in a public place.

The release stated that Drayton should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information regarding Drayton’s location should contact law enforcement. The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of as much as $20,000 for information that leads to her arrest. Tips may be submitted through the USMS Tips App. For more information visit https://www.usmarshals.gov/what-we-do/fugitive-investigations/submitting-a-tip/.