In January 2019, the city of Memphis was rocked by a crime that resonated far beyond its streets, reaching into the state's prison system. Ronald Terry, a 49-year-old man, was discovered shot to death inside a white Cadillac that had crashed through a fence near the Memphis International Airport. Alongside him was the body of a 36-year-old woman, Candid Sanders, who had also been fatally shot.
The initial scene on Dwight Road near Airways gave way to a complex story rooted in the city's criminal underworld.
Terry, also known as 'Big Pokey,' was no ordinary citizen; he was identified by prosecutors as a former high-level leader of the Vice Lords gang who had originally come from Chicago to organize and lead the Memphis chapter. His past was storied and public, having previously been convicted for the attempted murder of a fellow gang member. During that trial, Terry had taken the stand and detailed the inner workings and hierarchy of the Vice Lords, an act that some believed put his life in danger. He was sentenced to a lengthy prison term and had been released in 2016 after serving approximately eleven years. Some reports suggested that he had renounced his gang affiliation before his release, though it remains unclear if he still maintained ties to the organization.
The news of Terry's murder sent immediate shockwaves throughout law enforcement and correctional facilities across Tennessee. In a highly unusual move, the Tennessee Department of Corrections placed every prison in the state on lockdown, citing information from external law enforcement partners and a concern for the safety of inmates and staff. This action was fueled by fears of retaliatory violence breaking out within the prison system as a direct result of Terry's killing. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation also issued a statewide alert to law enforcement agencies, urging them to be vigilant amidst rumors of a potential threat against officers, though no specific or credible threat was ever confirmed.
Despite the high-profile nature of the case and the widespread concerns it generated, the investigation into the double homicide of Ronald Terry and Candid Sanders has remained ongoing. The Memphis Police Department has continued to seek information from the public in their efforts to identify the person or persons responsible for the fatal shootings. To date, no arrests have been announced, and no suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the murders that brought the shadowy world of gang politics into stark public view.
