In the autumn of 2019, the community of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was shaken by the untimely death of a lifelong resident, Richard Dennis 'Dickie' Ratliff. A 69-year-old White/Caucasian male, Ratliff was a well-known figure in the local business scene. On the afternoon of Monday, October 14, 2019, police responded to a medical call at an apartment on West 10th Street.
Inside, they discovered an unresponsive Ratliff who was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound.
Richard, born on October 31, 1949, was a proud native of Pine Bluff. After graduating from Pine Bluff High School in 1967, he served in the United States Army and Reserves. Alongside his brother, he ventured into the restaurant business by opening Big Banjo Pizza Parlor, which later expanded into Ratliff Enterprises, encompassing various other businesses. He was known for his generosity and willingness to help others in his community. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather who enjoyed duck hunting and spending time with his family and friends.
The investigation into Ratliff's death, the city's 26th homicide of the year, quickly led to a breakthrough. Four days later, on October 18, 2019, the Pine Bluff Police Department arrested two individuals in connection with the murder. Marlo Carter and Jameisha McClain, both 29 years old at the time, were taken into custody.
Both Carter and McClain were charged with capital murder for their alleged involvement in the death of Richard Ratliff. Carter had a recent prior arrest on theft of property charges just days before the murder. The two suspects were booked into the W.C. 'Dub' Brassell Detention Center as the legal process against them commenced.
