In the summer of 2018, a vibrant life was tragically cut short in Memphis, Tennessee. Carolyn Thomas, a 48-year-old woman, found her evening of leisure turn into a scene of unimaginable violence. On the night of July 3rd, inside the walls of Brenda's Rhythm & Blues Club on Walker Avenue, a dispute escalated with fatal consequences.
The night took a dark turn when an argument broke out between Thomas and another patron, Ricky Hunter.
The altercation quickly became physical, with Hunter striking Thomas in the face, causing her to fall. In a moment of retaliation, Thomas threw a beer bottle at Hunter, but it missed its mark. What happened next was a senseless act of violence. Hunter produced a handgun and shot Thomas in the shoulder. As she lay wounded, he reportedly stood over her and attempted to fire again, but the weapon failed.
Witnesses at the club described a chilling scene as Hunter allegedly walked away laughing after the shooting. Emergency services were called, and Thomas was rushed to a nearby hospital. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, she succumbed to her injuries hours later, her death officially recorded on July 4, 2018.
The investigation into the death of Carolyn Thomas led to the swift arrest of Ricky Hunter. He was subsequently charged with her murder. In October 2021, a jury found Hunter, then 59 years old, guilty of second-degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Reports from the time of his conviction noted that Hunter was already on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry for a prior conviction in Florida. He was sentenced for the murder of Carolyn Thomas in November 2021.
