In the winter of 2008, a senseless act of violence tragically cut short the life of 18-year-old Cherrese Tonya Richardson, an African American senior at Charles H. Flowers High School. On the afternoon of January 8th, Cherrese and a friend were walking home from school in Springdale, Maryland, when they were caught in the crossfire of a dispute between two groups of young people.
A stray bullet from the drive-by shooting struck Cherrese in the head; she succumbed to her injuries two days later, on January 10, 2008. Her friend was also shot but survived.
The investigation into Cherrese’s death revealed that the shooting stemmed from a rivalry between neighborhood groups, and that Cherrese was an innocent bystander with no affiliation to either side. Authorities identified two teenagers from Lanham, Maryland, as the individuals responsible for the gunfire. Neither of the suspects attended Charles H. Flowers High School.
The two suspects, Jeffrey D. Boddie II, 18, and Terrance R. Martin, also 18, were arrested and faced charges for their roles in the fatal shooting. Boddie pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, use of a handgun in the commission of a felony, and first-degree assault. He admitted to firing a weapon from a car but claimed he did not intend to hit anyone. A judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
Terrance R. Martin was found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder and also admitted to firing a weapon without intending to harm anyone. He received a sentence of 25 years in prison for his involvement in Cherrese Richardson's death. A third individual, Marcus Anthony Reynolds, 19, was also arrested and pleaded guilty to being an accessory, for which he was sentenced to five years. The tragic loss of Cherrese, a young woman remembered for her volunteer work and aspirations of becoming a lawyer or teacher, left a lasting impact on her community.
