On the evening of April 15, 2018, a tragic series of events unfolded at a Pilot Travel Station in Lebanon, Tennessee, culminating in the deaths of two young men. The incident, which was later described by authorities as a botched drug deal, claimed the lives of 19-year-old Ethan Doughten and 15-year-old Tylon Batey.
Around 9:10 p.m., Lebanon Police responded to reports of gunfire at the gas station located on Murfreesboro Road.
Upon arrival, they discovered Doughten at the scene with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Tennova Hospital Lebanon, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Shortly thereafter, Batey was brought to the same hospital in a private vehicle, also suffering from fatal gunshot wounds sustained in the same incident.
The investigation into the double homicide led to the identification of two suspects, Derrick La'Juan Rucker Jr., who was 18 at the time, and Lashea Garrett, then 21. A juvenile suspect was also taken into custody at a nearby restaurant shortly after the shooting. The investigation revealed that the deadly encounter was the result of a drug transaction that had gone wrong.
In May 2019, both Rucker and Garrett pleaded guilty to their roles in the shooting. Rucker pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for his part in the deaths of Doughten and Batey. Garrett also entered a guilty plea for her involvement in the case. The specifics of their sentences and the initial charges they faced are not readily available in public records. The resolution of the juvenile suspect's case has not been publicly detailed.
