The 1999 shooting death of Cherica Adams, a young woman who was pregnant at the time, will remain imprinted in the minds of North Carolina citizens forever. In the aftermath of the inquiry, one of the most high-profile trials in the country took place with a former National Football League star at the centre of it all. The Investigation Discovery documentary ‘Fall of a Football Star’ tells the storey of Cherica’s terrible death, which was the outcome of a horrific murder-for-hire scheme. We should thus investigate what transpired, should we?
What Caused Cherica Adams’ Death?
Cherica Louvenia Adams was given the name Cherica Louvenia Adams when she was born in June 1975. Her mother, Saundra Adams, and her grandparents were the primary caregivers for her. Cherica began working in real estate after dropping out of Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, where she had been enrolled. She eventually found work as an exotic dancer at a nightclub as a side hustle. In addition to being 24 years old and approximately eight months pregnant at the time of the occurrence, the woman was noted as having a captivating personality.
Cherica, who had been shot, dialled 911 sometime after midnight on November 16, 1999, saying that she had been shot in the leg. On her way home from a movie date in Charlotte, North Carolina, the young mother-to-be was ambushed by a car while driving along a country highway. Cherica was shot five times, with four bullets striking her in the neck and back, according to police. Her intestines, liver, and stomach had all been ruptured. Cherica was transported to the hospital by emergency personnel. She was removed from life support on December 14, 1999, despite the fact that they were able to rescue her baby.
Who was responsible for Cherica Adams’ death?
Cherica offered a great deal of information to the authorities prior to her death, which helped them solve the case. On that particular evening, she was out with Rae Theotis Carruth, who had been dating her on and off for a while. Rae was a player for the Carolina Panthers at the time, and he was selected 27th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft. Rae and Cherica were travelling in separate vehicles, with the 24-year-old pursuing the footballer in the passenger seat. Cherica stated in the 911 call that Rae had slowed down before another automobile drew up beside her vehicle and began shooting at her from behind. She had a strong suspicion that Rae had something to do with it.
Additionally, the authorities determined that Cherica, who was pregnant with Rae’s kid, was adamant about having the child. Rae, on the other hand, was less than enthusiastic and had inquired as to whether she would consider getting an abortion. When the police looked into Rae’s phone records, they discovered a gap in the case’s evidence. They stumbled across Michael Kennedy, a friend of Rae’s who happened to be a drug dealer as well as a drug dealer. Within a short period of time, Michael’s police confessions revealed a horrible murder-for-hire conspiracy that left everyone completely stunned.
There was another phone number in the data that connected to a motel near the airport. Van Brett Watkins was found at the same motel a few days after the shootings, and he was taken into custody to be interrogated by authorities. The authorities were eventually made aware of what had occurred. Rae approached Van, who worked as a security guard at a local strip club, in June 1999. “So he asked, ‘How much would it take to beat up a girl and force her to abort her baby?’” Van recalled afterwards. ‘I don’t beat up a girl,’ I explained. ‘I am a serial killer.’”
Van alleged that Rae came up with a number of different ideas to assassinate Cherica throughout the course of time. After much deliberation, it was determined that Van would ambush Cherica after Rae and she had concluded their date with her husband. Van was accompanied by Michael Kennedy, who was ultimately in possession of the firearm, as well as his best buddy, Stanley Abraham. As a result, after the movie was over, Rae and Cherica drove back to his apartment, where they picked up her car, and then continued driving in separate vehicles to her location.
As Rae slowed down ahead of him, Michael, who was driving the car, drove up beside Cherica, with Van shooting five times into the vehicle from behind him. Rae was out on bond and on the run by the time Cherica died, over a month after the incident. He was apprehended in Tennessee, where he eventually died. Rae was hiding in the trunk of a friend’s car when we arrived. He was prepared with energy bars, a phone, money, and empty bottles in case he needed to go to the bathroom.
What Has Happened to Rae Theotis Carruth and Van Brett Watkins?
Rae was the only one of the four accused to go to trial, with Van and Michael both testifying during the hearings. Candace Smith, a previous girlfriend of Rae’s, testified that he acknowledged to being involved in the ambush. Amber Turner, another ex-girlfriend, said that Rae had threatened to kill her if she didn’t undergo an abortion, which she denied. Michael and Stanley had already pled guilty to a variety of offences and were sentenced to about 11 and two years in jail, respectively.
Van pled guilty to second-degree murder in April 2001 and was sentenced to a maximum of 40 years and five months in prison at the time of his conviction. He is still detained at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he was arrested. Van is expected to be released in 2045, despite the fact that he is in his 60s. With regard to Rae’s criminal record, he was convicted in 2001 of conspiring to commit murder, discharging a handgun into an occupied building, and using an instrument with the intent to destroy an unborn child among other charges.
Rae was found guilty and sentenced to 18 to 24 years in prison. When he was 44 years old, he was freed from prison in October of that year. During his incarceration, he converted to Islam and relocated to Pennsylvania to live with a friend who was a practising Muslim. According to a storey published in 2019, he worked from home and was employed by his family’s businesses. A cheque for several thousand dollars had been mailed to Chancellor Lee Adams, according to Saundra, who indicated that Rae had sent the payment in December.
