In a tragic turn of events on February 28, 2018, 32-year-old David Alan Gullatte and his 27-year-old fiancée, Sharonda Bouldin, were discovered fatally shot inside their Decatur, Alabama, home on Clearview Street. The grim discovery was made after police responded to reports of gunshots heard inside the residence around 2:00 PM. Upon forcing entry, authorities found the deceased couple.
A young child was also located inside the home, physically unharmed.
The investigation quickly led authorities to a suspect, 22-year-old Kendall Rashid Rucker. Witnesses reported seeing Rucker, who was described as an acquaintance of the victims and a second cousin to Gullatte, fleeing the residence shortly after the gunshots were heard. He was located at another residence and taken into custody without incident. Rucker was subsequently charged with capital murder in connection with the deaths of Gullatte and Bouldin.
The legal proceedings for Rucker faced delays, including a court-ordered mental examination in July 2022 to determine his competency to stand trial. In April 2025, prosecutors announced their intention to seek the death penalty. However, in February 2026, a judge declared a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. The case was scheduled to be reset for a new trial at a later date. While in custody at the Morgan County Jail in January 2026, Rucker faced new charges for allegedly attempting to kill another inmate.
