In the Hill neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut, the life of 21-year-old Richard Whitaker Jr., a Black/African American male, was cut tragically short on the evening of June 15, 2021. At approximately 8:24 p.m., the sounds of gunfire pierced the air near Columbus Avenue, prompting multiple 911 calls and a ShotSpotter alert. When police arrived, they found Whitaker suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead. Friends knew him as "G Rich," a nod to his fondness for the rapper G Herbo.
Richard's death was another devastating blow to a family already steeped in grief. Less than a year earlier, in August 2020, his older brother, Day'Shon Smith, a celebrated boxer, was also shot and killed in the very same neighborhood. Richard was reportedly standing right next to his brother when he was murdered. The loss of his brother, who had been a father figure to him since their mother's death when he was just ten, left Richard heartbroken. Described by his family as a loving and goofy young man with a smile that could light up a room, he was a devoted father to his young daughter. He had studied plumbing at Eli Whitney Technical High School and had plans to enroll in college.
For months, the investigation into Richard's murder continued. Then, in March 2022, the New Haven Police Department announced a significant breakthrough in the case. Following an investigation led by Detective Christian Bruckheart, an arrest warrant was secured for a suspect. On February 24, 2022, 23-year-old Travon J. Hobby of New Haven was arrested and taken into police custody. He was charged with murder and criminal possession of a pistol in connection with Richard Whitaker Jr.'s death. At the time of the arrest announcement, police did not believe Richard's murder was connected to his brother's. Hobby was held on a $2 million bond.
