In a tragic turn of events on a Memphis evening, Tatyana Fitzpatrick, a 24-year-old female, lost her life. On Saturday, December 9, 2023, while sitting on a wall and looking at her phone, she was struck by a stray bullet. The incident occurred in the 3900 block of Frayser-Raleigh Road where a group of men were engaged in a dice game.
According to police reports, surveillance footage captured the moment when three of the men involved in the dice game began shooting towards the road.
One of the last shots fired, allegedly by a man wearing a hoodie with a star on it, hit Tatyana, causing her to fall to the ground. She was privately transported to Methodist North Hospital, where she ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
Following a tip from CrimeStoppers, authorities identified the man in the star-emblazoned hoodie as Marvin Watkins. On January 4, 2024, Memphis police officers detained Watkins while he was driving a stolen Nissan Altima. During questioning, he denied firing a weapon but did identify himself in still images taken from the surveillance video of the shooting.
Watkins was subsequently indicted on a charge of reckless homicide for his involvement in Tatyana's death. He was also facing other charges, including auto theft and burglary. After his initial arrest, Watkins was released on a $27,500 bond in January 2024. However, he was re-arrested in May 2024, and his bond was significantly increased to $175,000. As of May 24, 2024, his cases were sent to a Shelby County Grand Jury.
