East Ridge Police on Thursday took Kelderick M. Tucker, 27, into custody for criminal homicide, aggravated robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. The charges stem from an incident at the Richwood Apartments on Donaldson Road on Aug. 21, which resulted in the death of Montrell Fears, 23.
During the arrest, police found a large amount of marijuana and also charged Tucker with possession of Schedule VI drugs for resale and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Lonita Fields, 29, was earlier charged with accessory after the fact of criminal homicide.
East Ridge Police received numerous calls around 8:21 a.m.
on Aug. 21 about a shooting in the apartments' parking lot.
Police said Tucker, who was described as a previously convicted violent felon, had exited apt. 105 with his girlfriend's two small children shortly before 8:21 a.m.
They said it is believed that Fears and a black male who was with him "may have initially intended to rob" Tucker. There was an altercation near a Toyota Camry and Tucker fired four shots with a 9mm handgun. Two of them struck Fears, police said.
Police found two 9mm shell casings and one unfired 9mm cartridge at the parking lot near the rear of the Camry.
Fears and the other man with him ran west in the parking lot, but Fears fell to the asphalt before reaching a white minivan.
The other man, who was wearing blue pants and a white shirt, ran up a hill and towards the minivan that was waiting on Donaldson Road. That vehicle recklessly fled the scene at a high rate of speed going north on Donaldson Road, it was stated.
Police said Tucker approached Fears' body and began removing items from his pockets. He then put some items within the driver's door and afterward was seen talking with Ms. Fields, it was stated.
He then got into Ms. Fields' dark Ford Escape SUV and was leaving the scene at the very moment that police arrived, the complaint says.
Police searched the Toyota Camry and found that its keys had been left with two nearby bags of garbage, thereby preventing Tucker from driving away in it. There were two more 9mm shell casings found within the area around the trunk. Police said it appears that the trunk was open when shots were fired.
Also found in the front passenger seat of the Camry were a wallet and cell phone belonging to Fears.
Police said Ms. Fields "knowingly and willingly" drove Tucker and her children to their daycare following the incident.
Tucker was located at 3202 Gleason Dr., Apt. A. Police said multiple people were in the residence and there were three vehicles in the driveway. Police found two digital scales and 338.2 grams of marijuana.
The Fears killing followed a July 6 homicide in East Ridge at the 600 block of South Seminole. Police found Antonio Smith inside his Ford Explorer suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.