In the summer of 2009, a quiet street in Chesnee, South Carolina, became the scene of a tragic and calculated act of violence that ended the life of 8-year-old Heather 'Brooke' Center. On July 8th, the young girl, a rising third-grader at Reidville Elementary School, was fatally shot four times at close range with a. 357 Magnum. The crime was not a random act of violence but a meticulously planned murder stemming from a personal vendetta.
The perpetrator was 55-year-old Ricky Lee
Blackwell, a Chesnee man who was consumed by jealousy and anger. Blackwell's estranged wife was dating Brooke's father, and in a twisted act of revenge, he targeted the innocent child. On that fateful day, Blackwell took a handgun from a lock box at his father's home, drove to the location where he knew he would find Brooke, and parked his truck in a nearby garage to conceal his presence before approaching her. The shooting was instantaneous and left Brooke with no chance of survival. Shortly after killing the child, Blackwell turned the gun on himself, inflicting a non-fatal gunshot wound to his own stomach.
Following an investigation, Ricky Lee Blackwell was arrested and charged with the murder and kidnapping of Heather Brooke Center. During his trial, prosecutors presented evidence of his careful planning and the heinous nature of the crime. Testimony from Brooke's elementary school faculty and staff painted a picture of the vibrant young girl whose life was cut short. Blackwell expressed no remorse for his actions and did not address the court during his sentencing.
In March 2014, a Spartanburg County jury deliberated for approximately five hours before convicting Blackwell of murder and kidnapping. They subsequently sentenced him to death for the brutal killing of the 8-year-old child. The sentence was scheduled to be carried out in June 2014, though it was anticipated to be delayed by appeals. The community was left to mourn the loss of a young life, a tragedy that the solicitor noted affected not only her family but also her school and the entire community.
