The murder of Elliott Ray Wickliffe

He was the only son of my great uncle Bethel & only 30 when he was brutally gunned done.

When I first started looking for info on my great cousin, I started looking for who he married & who his children were/are.  I had no idea that I would stumble upon such an unbelievably tragic story.

From the multiple newspaper article I found, Elliott was the third person allegedly murdered by Rick Stevens.  

newspaper.com (The Chronicle)

I never found any information regarding the final charges in the case, but Rick was ultimately accused of kidnapping & robbing 2 group of people, including 2 brother, Andrew Jackson Austin & Harry Austin.  

These murders were proceeded by the home invasion & murder of Elliott Ray.

Elliott, home with his girlfriend Renee, was shot.  His girlfriend was bound, but would eventually escape & go for help.  

Rick took off in Elliott's car, but wanted by the police for the double murders of the brothers, he was finally apprehended in a schoolyard, after he abandoned the stolen car & pretended to be a jogger. 

What happened in the case?  

As far as I can tell, Rick was convicted. (I am not sure of the kidnapping, robbery & car theft charges he was also accused of.).  He spent the next 35+ in jail, but was released in July 2012.

2 other men, Martin Derouen & Roy Davis Jr were also persons of interest in the case.

(I'm unsure if they were charged or convicted.) 

Rick Stevens was the lead singer (at one point in his career) for a group called Tower of Power & since his release, he has gone back to performing. 

I have so many questions, but I have to research & find out the rest of this story.  

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