In the early morning hours of February 29, 2024, the life of 29-year-old Asia Petties was tragically cut short in her Memphis, Tennessee, home. Police responded to a call of a shooting in the White Haven neighborhood at approximately 3:45 a.m. Upon arrival at the Good Haven Drive residence, they discovered Petties unresponsive in the hallway, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to her collarbone.
Despite the life-saving efforts of first responders, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initially, the narrative of what transpired was clouded by the account of her 41-year-old boyfriend, Ricky Wilkins. He was found at the scene attempting to administer CPR and told investigators that he had left the home earlier and returned to find Petties shot. However, as the investigation progressed, a different and more disturbing picture began to emerge. Surveillance footage from the area showed that only Wilkins and Petties had entered and exited the home around the time of the shooting.
The evidence against Wilkins mounted when police reviewed recordings of his phone calls, including the 911 call he placed. In one of the recordings, he was heard making the incriminating statement, 'I done threw my effing life away.' A search of the home uncovered a rifle loaded with approximately 60 rounds, a handgun, and a pound of marijuana. It was also revealed that Wilkins had a criminal history that included a prior conviction for cocaine possession with intent to sell and a history of domestic violence dating back to 2014.
Ricky Wilkins was subsequently arrested and faced a series of charges, including first-degree murder, possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell, being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun, and possession of a firearm during a dangerous felony. For the family of Asia Petties, who was just weeks away from her 30th birthday and a mother to two children, her death was a devastating blow. Her sister and mother remembered her as a 'sassy' and beloved family member, expressing their hope that her story might serve as a warning to others in similar situations of domestic violence.
