Woman wanted for February 2008 Cape Girardeau shooting arrested in Chicago, police say

Murder suspect Tambra Turner, who has been on the run from Cape Girardeau authorities since February 2008, was arrested Thursday afternoon in Chicago, said Sgt. Jason Selzer, spokesman for the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

A tip from someone who saw Turner's photograph on the "15 seconds of shame" portion of "America's Most Wanted" led to Turner's arrest, Selzer said.

That tip led Chicago police and agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the residence where Turner was staying, he said.

Tambra Turner, seen here in a Chicago police booking photo following her Thursday arrest.

Turner, 30, originally of Sikeston, Mo., is accused of shooting Chabreasha Egson on Feb. 22, 2008, in a residence on North Spanish Street over a romantic rivalry for the affections of Lloyd Gilmore, Turner's estranged husband.

Members of the Cape Girardeau County-Bollinger County Major Case Squad were scheduled to fly to Illinois Thursday night to interview Turner, Selzer said.

She remains charged with first-degree murder and property damage in connection with the shooting death of Egson and also faces a federal fugitive warrant for allegedly crossing state lines to avoid prosecution.

Tambra Turner, seen here in a Chicago police booking photo following her Thursday arrest.

Turner's face first aired on "America's Most Wanted" in spring 2008, and a profile describing her alleged crime and possible whereabouts were posted on the national television show's website.

Police said Turner was outraged because she discovered Gilmore and Egson had exchanged written correspondence while he was in jail.

Hours before Egson was shot, Turner allegedly showed up at Egson's residence and smashed some windows with a tree limb, causing Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle to file property damage charges against her. Investigators hoped she would turn herself in so they could speak with her, because she appeared to have had a confrontation with Egson shortly before the murder, but she did not.

The next day, Swingle filed the murder charges against her, after damage to her blue Mustang corroborated a story she'd told a friend that she'd wrecked her car on the ice fleeing the crime scene.

Turner also told a witness she had gone to the house of her husband's lover and fired a gun while Gilmore tried to push her back, and wasn't sure whether she had hit anyone.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

North Spanish Street, Cape Girardeau, MO