Woman charged in Ellendale murder

An Ellendale woman faces a murder charge after police say she shot a man June 1 in Ellendale.

Police were called at at 10:47 p.m. to a home in the 13000 block of South Old State Road for a reported shooting and found Brian Halliday, 28, in the front yard with a gunshot wound to the chest. Police began life-saving efforts, and took him to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police said there was an altercation between the victim and a woman, and she took out a gun and shot him in the chest. The woman fled the scene in an unknown direction, but was later identified as Tyja Best, 26. On June 4, police said officers and the Special Operations Response Team took Best into custody without incident.

Best was taken to Troop 5 where she was charged with first-degree murder, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited. She was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $1,060,000 cash bond.

The Homicide Unit is actively investigating this incident and asks anyone with information to contact Detective B. McDerby at 302-741-2821; send a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police; or contact Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.