Emily Elizabeth Richitelli, a 30-year-old White / Caucasian female from Georgetown, South Carolina, had turned her life around and was dedicated to helping others do the same. A survivor of addiction, she became a certified Peer Support Specialist, mentoring other recovering addicts and showing them that a healthy and sober life was possible. She was pursuing her education online at Georgetown Horry Tech and was a loving mother to her two children, Michael Yates and Trinity Vaughn.
Her efforts to build a new life were tragically cut short on July 21, 2022.
On that day, Emily and a 44-year-old man named John Ashley Altman were found shot to death inside Altman's home in the Ringel Heights area of Georgetown County. The Georgetown County Sheriff's Office investigated the double homicide and quickly identified a suspect. Forty-two-year-old Ronnie Todd, who had previously been in a relationship with Emily, was arrested in connection with the murders.
Investigators believe that jealousy was the motive behind the killings. Todd was subsequently charged with the murders of both Emily Richitelli and John Ashley Altman. In the wake of this tragedy, Emily's mother, Ann Stewart, established the Emily's Way Foundation to honor her daughter's memory. The foundation focuses on judicial reform, domestic violence awareness, and addiction recovery programs, continuing the work that was so important to Emily.
