In the summer of 2023, a long-standing feud between two brothers in Wilkinson County, Georgia, culminated in a fatal encounter. On the evening of July 8th, 73-year-old Ezekiel 'Zeke' Shinholster was shot and killed at the residence he shared with his younger brother just outside of Gordon. The man responsible for his death was his own brother, 67-year-old Rickey Lee Shinholster.
That night, an argument erupted between the siblings, reportedly over the changing of locks at their Farrish Wood Road home. A third brother who was present attempted to de-escalate the rising tensions, but his efforts were in vain. The verbal dispute escalated, and Rickey Shinholster retrieved a 9mm pistol, firing a single shot into his older brother's chest.
Deputies from the Wilkinson County Sheriff's Office arrived at the home after receiving a call about a domestic dispute and found Ezekiel Shinholster deceased. Rickey had initially fled the scene to a relative's nearby home but was brought back and taken into custody by law enforcement. He was subsequently arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. A Wilkinson County grand jury later returned a more extensive indictment, charging him with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The investigation into the shooting was a joint effort by the Wilkinson County Sheriff's Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The case against Rickey Lee Shinholster proceeded through the court system, with his first trial ending in a mistrial. However, a second trial in June 2025 brought a definitive conclusion. During the trial, the prosecution argued that the shooting was the result of years of animosity between the brothers. They presented testimony from the third brother who witnessed the argument. Evidence revealed that while Ezekiel had an unloaded handgun in his back pocket, he never attempted to draw the weapon. The defense put forth a claim of self-defense, with Rickey Shinholster testifying that his brother had come at him with a screwdriver. The prosecution countered this by pointing out that this claim was never mentioned in his initial statements to the police following his arrest.
After deliberating for just under three hours, the jury found Rickey Lee Shinholster guilty of malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault. The judge subsequently sentenced the now 69-year-old man to life in prison, with the possibility of parole, for the murder of his brother.
