In the summer of 2010, a tragedy unfolded in Nashville, Tennessee, forever altering the lives of a young family. Asia Wade, a 30-year-old mother, was found dead in her Elizabeth Road home on July 20th, leaving behind her four young children. The discovery was made by concerned family members after the children, the eldest being just nine years old, did not show up for daycare.
When relatives arrived at the home, the children informed a caregiver that they couldn't go because their mother hadn't dressed them. Forcing their way into a locked bedroom, the family was met with a horrific scene.
Investigators determined that Asia Wade had been brutally killed, having suffered multiple stab wounds. Her body had likely been in the home for at least a day while her children were present. Suspicion quickly fell upon her boyfriend, 30-year-old Demeko Duckworth, who lived with Wade and her children. In the immediate aftermath of the discovery, Duckworth was nowhere to be found, and Wade's red Chevrolet Monte Carlo was also missing. The investigation soon revealed an even darker picture, connecting Duckworth to another violent crime that occurred just a day prior.
On the evening of July 19, 2010, Wade's cousin, Clarence Goins, was shot in the head on Hillside Avenue. He succumbed to his injuries the following afternoon, around the same time his cousin's body was discovered. This led authorities to believe Duckworth was not only responsible for Wade's death but also for the murder of Goins. A warrant was issued for Duckworth's arrest, and he was placed on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's Top Ten Most Wanted list. The search for him extended beyond Tennessee, as he had ties to Arkansas and a criminal history that included drug charges, robbery, and parole violations.
The manhunt for Demeko Duckworth came to an end the following weekend. After a relative contacted U.S. Marshals to arrange his surrender, Duckworth was taken into custody in the parking lot of a Walmart near Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was extradited back to Nashville to face charges for the two murders.
In March 2012, a Davidson County jury found Demeko Duckworth guilty of the first-degree murders of both Asia Wade and Clarence Goins. During the trial, the court heard the grim details of Wade's death, revealing she had been stabbed 49 times and strangled. Duckworth was subsequently sentenced to 108 years in prison for his crimes. Even his own defense attorney acknowledged the brutality of his actions, describing him as 'a man who did not have much regard for human life.' His conviction brought a measure of justice to the families of Asia Wade and Clarence Goins, though the profound loss of a mother and a cousin in such a violent manner left an indelible mark on their lives.
