Jefferson County Judge Kim Bridgforth has ordered 29-year-old Marlo Carter and 29-year-old Jameisha McClain to be held without bond on charges of Capital Murder in the shooting death of 69-year-old Richard “Dickie” Ratliff, who was found dead inside of an apartment located at 2200 West 10th Avenue on October 14.
Police found Ratliff when they initially responded to a medical call. A police report stated that Ratliff was found bleeding from gunshot wounds to his face and chest. Additionally, his pockets were turned out, and his cell phone was missing. Officers found five spent .380-caliber shell casings in the apartment.
Carter and McClain were taken into custody Thursday, October 17 at the Day’s Inn at 406 North Blake Street.
During an interview McClain told Detective Steve Rucker that she was not with Carter when Ratliff was killed. She said that Carter told her that he was going to go rob Ratliff and wanted her to assist him, but she refused. McClain stated that another female went with Carter and used her name in the robbery so people would believe she was involved.
McClain noted that Carter told her details of the robbery and murder, and that she knew the location of the gun that was used to kill Ratliff. She stated the gun was a .380 caliber handgun.
McClain accompanied investigators to a wooded area where she said Carter threw the gun. Detective Steve Rucker reported that he found a small .380-caliber handgun and a cell phone while searching the area.
Carter denied killing Ratliff during his interview but did state that he called Ratliff to tell him that he had a friend who wanted to rent an apartment. Carter said he told Ratliff he was thirsty, then he walked to a nearby store where he got two drinks and saw police at the scene when he returned.
Carter was asked the name of the female he attempted to get an apartment for. Carter then told investigators that it was “really for his cousin”.
Investigators stated that they received a break in the case just hours after the murder when an anonymous tipster called to say he had received a call from a person identified as “B”. The tipster said that he met with “B” at a house on Mulberry Street, and that “B” said he was going to rob Ratliff and had requested to use the witnesses’ vehicle as a getaway vehicle, and that he needed someone to hold his gun while he robbed Ratliff.
The witness was able to pick “B” out of a photo lineup and gave investigators the phone number that Carter had used when he called the witness. The witness was shown a lineup of five other males and was able to positively identify Carter as the man who attempted to get him to help rob Ratliff.
An additional witness came forward on Thursday, October 17 stating that McClain had told her that she (McClain) was present when Carter killed Ratliff. The witness stated that Carter called Ratliff about a female friend who wanted to rent an apartment. The witness stated that when Ratliff arrived at the apartment Carter held him at gunpoint, then forced him into the bathroom where he shot and killed Ratliff, then took between $10,000-$15,000 in cash along with a cell phone, then fled south on the railroad tracks.
The witness reported that Ratliff’s cell phone was on the railroad tracks. Detectives located the phone, and a check of the call log showed that Ratliff had received four calls from the number that the first witness had provided to detectives.
An additional tip stated that Carter and McClain had purchased a silver PT Cruiser from Jacsil Motors and a blue Dodge Charger from Jonas Motors. Detectives were able to obtain a bill of sale on both vehicles. Employees of both dealerships stated that a male had been with two females when they purchased the cars and were able to positively identify Carter out of a lineup.
Carter and McClain were arrested Thursday night when Lieutenant Marcus Smith and Detective Chris Wieland located both the PT Cruiser and Dodge Charger at the Day’s Inn at 406 North Blake Street. Both cars were parked beside one another.
