Murder suspect who led police on chase charged

DETROIT (WJBK) - "Everybody that knew her, loved her. So it’s been tough.”

Derek Odell holds his son Kaleb in his arms. He’ll be 2 years old in October. The toddler will never know his mother, 33-year-old Jennifer Paul. She was shot in the head early Thursday morning and died Friday night.

“I know she didn’t suffer," Odell said. "I saw that.”

He saw it because he says he was in the car with Jennifer when another car pulled up and opened fire on them at Fort Street and Outer Drive over what he says was a $20 cocaine debt.

Derek says when that shooting happened around 1:30 a.m. Thursday he didn’t have his phone on him. He had to drive back to his home in Lincoln Park, where his mother called 911.

The next day the suspect led police on a chase through southwest Detroit. The suspect bailed out of his car and climbed on top of a minivan before being tackled and taken away in handcuffs. Derek watched it all unfold.

Murder suspect tackled, in custody after getting flat tire on I-75 during chase

“It was awesome," Derek said. " watched it live on Fox on Facebook. It felt good. I slept that night.”

Now that man, 24-year-old Derron Sherard, is charged with fleeing and eluding, obstructing police and possession of heroin, cocaine and marijuana. His bond was set at $75,000 cash. He is not yet facing charges in the murder of Jennifer Paul, but Derek says he hopes those charges are coming.

“Hopefully he didn’t have children. He ruined their life – lots of lives ruined for nothing basically," he said.

Lives like that of their son, Kaleb, whose smile is keeping his father going.

“It’s tough but having him has made it a lot easier to deal with," Derek said. "I can’t think of anything but him.”

If you would like to help Derek and Kaleb, you can make a donation online through their GoFundMe account here.