MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After a domestic violence case turned deadly in Whitehaven Tuesday, WREG sat down with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to learn more about domestic violence arrest warrants Wednesday.
“They’re still in place working everyday,” said Chief Bill Allen, who is with Shelby County’s Fugitive Squad.
Allen launched a unit to target domestic violence arrests in November 2011.
The unit has put hundreds of alleged abusers behind bars.
He said there are currently about 1,128 arrest warrants that specifically say “domestic violence” on them, but likely many more cases that are labeled under some kind of assault charge.
Allen said serving domestic arrest warrants is very difficult because suspects are tough to track down.
“Some of the warrants will come in today, and we’ll have someone in custody that afternoon. Some of them, we’ve got warrants down there that are years old,” Allen said.
The YWCA said many clients have to wait for law enforcement to serve arrest warrants.
Director of Community Education Elizabeth Shelley said that’s why safety planning is so important.
“When police go out, chances are the perpetrator won’t be there,” Shelley said.
Shelley said women can contact the crisis hotline at 901-725-4277 to discuss ways to stay safe.
Charles Thomas shot and killed his wife, Tasha, at the daycare where she worked Tuesday. He had a history of domestic violence arrests.
Thomas was arrested on a domestic violence complaint August 25th, a day after law enforcement received his arrest warrant.
Thomas was released on bond the day after his arrest.
Tasha’s divorce attorney told WREG there was an injunction against him, and he wasn’t supposed to contact his wife or possess a firearm.
