In the late summer of 2016, the life of 19-year-old Deandre 'Ricky' Bolston was cut short in a violent encounter in Milledgeville, Georgia. On September 1st, Bolston was found with gunshot wounds to his abdomen behind a building at the Milledgeville Manor Apartments. He was rushed to Oconee Regional Hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The cause of death was determined to be a shotgun blast.
The investigation into the young man's death quickly led authorities to several suspects. Four individuals were taken into custody in connection with the shooting. Brothers Kevin Askew, 22, and William Brown, 16, were charged with murder. Two other men, 21-year-old Voisel Renfro and 18-year-old Javier Williams, faced charges of making false statements and tampering with evidence. The alleged murder weapon, a shotgun, was recovered by law enforcement after it had been wrapped in plastic, taped up, and buried near the Oconee River.
As the case unfolded, a narrative of escalating tensions and claims of self-defense emerged. Testimony revealed that Bolston was armed with a handgun at the time of the incident and had reportedly been seen with it at the apartment complex prior to the shooting. The defense for Askew and Brown argued that Bolston had been the aggressor, a contention that was part of the legal proceedings that followed.
In November 2016, a Baldwin County grand jury indicted Kevin Askew and his younger brother, William Brown, on charges of malice murder and aggravated assault. However, in October 2017, the brothers reached a plea agreement. They both pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of aggravated assault. Askew was sentenced to ten years, with the first year to be served in confinement, followed by probation. Brown received a sentence of ten years, with the first two years in confinement, also to be followed by probation. Both were credited with time already served. Voisel Renfro, who had provided the shotgun to the brothers, pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence and giving false statements and received probation. Javier Williams was also charged with making false statements.
