In a tragic turn of events, 18-year-old Malachi Rybka was fatally shot inside an apartment in the Edgehill Homes neighborhood of Nashville on the afternoon of June 11, 2024. The young man was inside a residence in the 1000 block of Edgehill Avenue at approximately 2:15 p.m. when a gunman entered and opened fire. Rybka was struck multiple times and succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The gunman fled immediately after the shooting.
Homicide detectives with the Metro Nashville Police Department quickly developed strong leads in the case. Their investigation pointed to the incident being a targeted attack. Assistance from the Specialized Investigations Division TITANS Unit was enlisted as significant information came to light.
The investigation led detectives to 24-year-old Dtarious Watkins. It is alleged that Watkins traveled from the Napier-Sudekum area to the Edgehill apartment with the intent to commit the crime. Following the shooting, he is believed to have returned to the Napier-Sudekum community, entering an apartment on Charles E. Davis Boulevard.
Later that night, law enforcement located and apprehended Watkins at the Charles E. Davis Boulevard apartment. A search of the residence uncovered three pistols. Detectives also discovered evidence suggesting that clothing believed to have been worn by Watkins during the shooting had been burned in an attempt to destroy it. Watkins was subsequently charged with the murder of Malachi Rybka.
