In a tragic turn of events on a Wednesday night in Nashville, Tennessee, 19-year-old Rodney Bates Jr. lost his life. On September 11, 2019, officers responded to a call of shots fired in the James Cayce public housing development on South 7th Street. Upon arrival, they discovered Bates with multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
At the time of the incident, it was reported that neither Bates nor the individual suspected of shooting him were residents of the housing development.
The investigation into the death of the male teenager quickly pointed to a suspect: 40-year-old Theymous Hicks. Authorities revealed that Bates and Hicks had allegedly been involved in an argument earlier on the day of the shooting. An arrest warrant for criminal homicide was issued for Hicks, who was a convicted felon with a history of weapons violations, rape, and aggravated assault. At the time of the shooting, Hicks was on probation for a 2018 cocaine possession conviction.
Following a search, Theymous Hicks was located and taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. He was discovered hiding in a closet at a residence on 14th Avenue North, and a handgun was recovered at the scene. Hicks was subsequently charged with criminal homicide in connection with the fatal shooting of Rodney Bates Jr.
After his arrest, Theymous Hicks faced legal proceedings for the death of Rodney Bates Jr. In a resolution to the case, Hicks pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. On April 20, 2023, he was sentenced to 35 years in the Tennessee Department of Correction for his role in the killing.
