MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The father of a woman charged in the killing of a St. Jude employee says his daughter was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Mouthing the words “I love you” to her family, 22-year-old Brandy Rucker was escorted out of the courtroom after her appearance Friday morning. 

She’s charged in connection to the shooting death of Alexander Bulakhov, an employee with St. Jude Research Hospital.

Memphis Police say Rucker’s co-defendant, 23-year-old Marious Ward, admitted to shooting Bulakhov last month while trying to rob him and his family. Bulakhov’s friends say he died trying to protect his wife and two-year-old daughter.

Police say Rucker admitted to being the getaway driver. 

Both are facing charges of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, attempted murder and robbery.

“When I heard that I was like, ‘No,’ because Brandy is not that type of person. She was raised right. She knows right from wrong,” said Tommy Rucker, Brandy’s father.

Tommy says the day of the shooting, Ward contacted his daughter asking her to take him somewhere. “She was actually afraid and didn’t want to go but being in love at that time, you can’t help who you love.”

Rucker says Ward and his daughter were dating. “She thought she could rehabilitate him by coming out of the streets or saw potential in him.”

Memphis Police say they believe the suspects were looking for victims to rob the day of the shooting.

However, Tommy Rucker says he does not believe his daughter was a willing participant in the crime.

After court, Ward’s attorney, Blake Ballin, said, “If the co-defendant in this case takes a position that’s adverse to ours, they better have evidence to prove it.”

Both Ward and Rucker are due back in court on Dec. 18 for a preliminary hearing.