On a summer evening in Richmond, Virginia, the life of 15-year-old Christian Singleton was tragically cut short. On Wednesday, June 7, 2017, Christian and his 16-year-old friend, Ketron R. Wells, were walking together in the 3600 block of Decatur Street. Just before 10 p.m., Richmond Police responded to a call of random gunfire in the area. Upon their arrival, they discovered both Christian and Ketron lying next to each other in the street, having both sustained gunshot wounds.
Emergency services responded, but both teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene. Christian, a student in the Richmond Public Schools system, was just days away from his 16th birthday.
The double homicide sent shockwaves through the community and left two families mourning the loss of their teenage sons. The investigation into their deaths began immediately, with detectives seeking to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. Surveillance footage from the area reportedly captured an unidentified man directing the two teenagers down the street moments before they were shot by two other individuals. Christian’s mother later recalled texting him to come home as his curfew was approaching, a message he would have read just moments before he was killed.
Despite the initial investigation and pleas from the families for witnesses to come forward, the case grew cold. As of recent updates, the murders of Christian Singleton and Ketron Wells remain unsolved, with no arrests having been made and no suspects publicly identified. The Richmond Police Department continues to list the double homicide as a cold case and encourages anyone with information to contact them or Metro Richmond Crime Stoppers, offering a potential cash reward for tips that lead to an arrest. The killer or killers of the two teenagers have not been brought to justice, and the case remains an open and ongoing investigation.
