On a Tuesday afternoon in Baltimore, a dispute on the 2100 block of Edmondson Avenue turned deadly. Terence Avery Cheatham Sr., a 33-year-old male, was engaged in a verbal argument with another man on March 21, 2023. The confrontation escalated, and Cheatham was fatally shot. When police officers arrived at the scene around 2:51 p.m., they found Cheatham suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
The investigation into the murder of Terence Cheatham quickly focused on 46-year-old Ricky Crenshaw of Baltimore. A significant piece of evidence came from a witness's cell phone video, which, although it did not capture the shooting itself, recorded the moments leading up to it. The video showed Crenshaw with a gun as Cheatham attempted to flee. The gunshots could be heard on the recording, and Crenshaw's vehicle was also visible. This footage, along with other identifying features like Crenshaw's watch, sunglasses, mask, and pinky ring seen in the video, proved crucial for investigators. Detectives were able to identify the vehicle and, after surveilling Crenshaw's apartment, arrested him during a traffic stop the following day. A loaded ghost gun was discovered in his possession at the time of the arrest. Already in custody on firearm-related charges, Crenshaw was officially charged with the first-degree murder of Terence Cheatham on March 28, 2023.
Ricky Crenshaw's trial for the murder of Terence Cheatham began in May 2024. The prosecution argued that without the cell phone video, Crenshaw might have gotten away with the murder. Despite a defense claim of innocence, the jury was convinced by the evidence presented. In May 2024, Ricky Crenshaw was found guilty of first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, firearm possession with a felony conviction, use of an assault weapon or magazine, and possession of a firearm without a serial number.
In August 2024, the judicial process for the murder of Terence Cheatham came to a conclusion. Ricky Crenshaw was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 37 years for the killing of the 33-year-old. The sentence for the first-degree murder charge was life in prison, with the first 20 years to be served without the possibility of parole. During the sentencing hearing, members of Cheatham's family, including his 13-year-old son, were present to express their grief.
