In the quiet neighborhoods of New Orleans, 73-year-old Beverly Wilkerson lived a life described by those who knew her as peaceful and friendly. A woman who kept to herself but was always kind, her story took a tragic and unexpected turn on March 11, 2018. On that day, the life of this elderly female was violently cut short in her own home on Brookfield Drive, a place that should have been her sanctuary.
The harrowing details of her death would soon come to light, not through a lengthy investigation, but from the mouth of her own kin.
The chain of events that unraveled the peace of that Sunday morning began with a 911 call from an unlikely place – the Historic Second Baptist Church. On the other end of the line was 31-year-old Ernest Richardson, Beverly Wilkerson's grandson. In a chilling confession, he informed the dispatcher that he had shot his grandmother in the head. His admission didn't end there; he further detailed how he had wrapped her body in plastic and fled the scene in her car. Police were dispatched to both the church and Wilkerson's residence. At the home, they discovered a grim scene that confirmed Richardson's account. Beverly Wilkerson's body was found inside, wrapped in plastic as her grandson had described.
Ernest Richardson was promptly arrested and charged with second-degree murder. As investigators delved into his background, a history of violent behavior emerged, including a prior charge in Los Angeles for causing corporal injury to a spouse. Despite this, the motive for the brutal killing of his grandmother remained shrouded in uncertainty, with reports mentioning ongoing conflicts within the family. Neighbors, shocked by the sudden violence, remembered Beverly as a nice lady who would have an open house for people, making the nature of her death all the more difficult to comprehend.
The legal proceedings against Ernest Richardson would take a number of turns. While initially found guilty of second-degree murder, a verdict that carried a mandatory life sentence, the case would later conclude with a different outcome. Richardson was ultimately found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his grandmother. However, his freedom was not secured, as he was convicted on other related charges, including attempted manslaughter and obstruction of justice. The tragic story of Beverly Wilkerson's death serves as a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of familial turmoil and violence.
