Berkeley County man sentenced for murder of girlfriend

Aubrey Dupree Tucker, a 40-year-old man from Berkeley County, has been sentenced to life in prison following his conviction for the murder of his girlfriend, Jessica Ancrum, in Goose Creek in 2021. According to Ashley Kay, a spokesperson for the Ninth Circuit Solicitor's Office, Tucker was also found guilty of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and possession of a firearm or ammunition by a person with a prior violent crime conviction.

The circumstances surrounding the murder began on June 9, 2021, when Ancrum attempted to leave Tucker's mother's home, where they both resided. An argument ensued, leading Tucker to shoot Ancrum five times—twice in the chest, twice in the back, and once in the leg. After the shooting, he fled the scene with the firearm in hand, while his mother and stepfather made a frantic 911 call.

Witness testimonies included the emotional 911 call made by Tucker's mother, who was in shock over the shooting and revealed that her son was the shooter. Her distress was so severe that her husband had to take over the call to provide information to the dispatchers.

Following the shooting, Berkeley County deputies tracked Tucker, only to discover he had cut off his ankle monitor, which he was wearing due to previous charges including murder and attempted murder. With assistance from U.S. Marshals, deputies apprehended him in Columbia two days later.

Judge Dale Van Slambrook ultimately sentenced Tucker to life in prison without the possibility of parole, marking the conclusion of a tragic case that underscored the impact of domestic violence.