In the quiet town of Ashland City, Tennessee, a night of camaraderie turned tragic, leaving a young man dead and his close friend behind bars. On the evening of November 4, 2023, 24-year-old Tylec Zitwan Mullins was fatally shot at a trailer home on Valley View Road. Emergency services responded to a call around 8:45 p.m. and found Mullins mortally wounded.
His death was quickly ruled a homicide, launching an investigation that would unravel a story of friendship shattered by violence.
The immediate investigation led to the arrest of 25-year-old Caleb Watkins, who was identified as a close friend of Mullins. According to an arrest affidavit, a night of drinking preceded the fatal shooting. Watkins was subsequently charged with homicide and detained on a $300,000 bond. The news of the arrest sent shockwaves through their circle of friends, with one individual expressing disbelief that one of his best friends was gone and the other was in jail.
The residence on Valley View Road became a focal point of further violence just under two months later. In the early hours of January 1, 2024, the home was targeted in a drive-by shooting. While six people, including a minor, were present inside, no one was injured. The suspects in this incident reportedly posted about it on social media and were later apprehended after a high-speed chase when they returned to the scene during the investigation. Two individuals, 18-year-old Jonathen Brewington and 20-year-old Gary Henson, were arrested and faced multiple charges, including reckless endangerment. The motive for this second act of violence at the same location remains part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic death of Ty Mullins.
