Child Murder Suspect Ricky Blackwell Arraignment Delayed
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Child Murder Suspect Released From Hospital
Ricky Blackwell?s estranged wife says ?He Smiled At Me When He Did It?
Murder Victim Brooke Center
Published: July 16, 2009
Updated: July 16, 2009
**Thursday 8:25 a.m.**
The Spartanburg County magistrate’s office says Ricky Blackwell’s arraignment has been postponed. The Spartanburg County solicitor’s office requested to do the arraignment and bond hearing in circuit court. No date has been scheduled.
**Thursday 5:35am Update**
Ricky Blackwell is due in court on Thursday morning for his arraignment. A judge will read the charges against Blackwell to make sure he understands them and how the criminal justice system will handle his case.
Blackwell’s estranged wife is dating Brooke Center’s father. Investigators said Blackwell grabbed the girl and shot her four times right in front of his wife.
Angela Blackwell did not want to go on camera but gave News Channel 7 a statement about her husband being taken to jail. “I hope they keep him there for the rest of his life. He killed an innocent little girl. brooke was the sweetest girl in the world. And he smiled at me when he did it”, she wrote.
**Wednesday 1:35pm Update**
Angela Blackwell, the estranged wife of the suspect spoke with News Channel 7 Wednesday in an interview and said “I hope they keep him there for the rest of his life. He killed an innocent little girl. Brooke was the sweetest girl in the world. And he smiled at me when he did it.“
**Wednesday 1:15pm Update**
Ricky Lee Blackwell said nothing as he was taken into the Spartanburg County Jail. Blackwell was wearing a bullet proof vest. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office says he wore the vest because of the nature of the crime. Blackwell is scheduled to be arraigned 11:00 a.m. Thursday morning.
**Wednesday 9:40am Update**
The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office expects Ricky Lee Blackwell will be released from Spartanburg Regional Medical Center Wednesday.
Public Information Officer Tony Ivey expects Blackwell will have his arraignment Wednesday afternoon.
Reporting by Chris Cato, Rob Landreth
**Monday 10:30am Update**
Ricky Lee Blackwell is still a patient at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center on Monday.
Tony Ivey, Public Information Officer for the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, says doctors feel it may be later in the week before Blackwell may be released from the hospital.
Funeral services for a eight year old girl tragically shot and killed Wednesday was held Sunday afternoon in Duncan.
More than 500 bikers showed up to the funeral for Heather Brooke Center. “You look around look at the bikes that are here the love and passion of motorcyclists,“ Ira Barrett with Black Stallion Motorcycle Hearse said.
Rolling Thunder will be escorting the Black Stallion Motorcycle Hearse, which will be carrying Center’s body “The little girl loved riding bikes,“ Mike Dalton with Rolling Thunder said. “To give her one last going away present, her last ride, what better way to do it?“ “She is looking down and smiling from ear to ear,“ Ira Barrett said.
Investigators with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged Rickey Lee Blackwell with first-degree murder after they say he went to a home on Ridings Road and shot Center four times during a domestic dispute. Blackwell then shot himself and is currently hospitalized and expected to survive. Solicitor Trey Gowdy says they will seek the death penalty against Blackwell.
Heather Brooke Center
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Reader Reactions
You know, DJ - we just need to agree to disagree. If she had taken Brooke to HIS house it would be one thing - but she was well within her right to go to her daughters for a fun afternoon of swimming. He made the choice to come out of his house and act like an idiot and that is just what he did. What, did he think that would make her want him back or something???? Still not her fault. He made the conscious decisions and he alone has to suffer at the hands of a (hopeful) lethal injection for those decisions. Enough said.
Hmmmmmmmm…..don’t know. I’m sure that the authorities will look at all angles. Whether she’s formally charged with anything or not…....she has to live with the fact that this didn’t have to happen.
Intentional….No.
Avoidable….Yes
Just to throw something out for thought. Could Angie be charged with Child Negligent??
I wasn’t arguing at all. I have no reason to do so.
“She had apparently been in a bad marriage or she would not have been out of the marriage -(temper on his part????).
If that is so….she really should have known better than to go around him.
Quick question for you - If you had a dog with a tendency to bite - would you, intentionally, allow a child to go
feed him OR would you make sure that the child was never close enough to be harmed? Enough said.
No one’s opinion is right or wrong on here. We are all stating how we feel which is freedom of speech. But we must always use common sense in the situations that we all face at one time or another. Angie did not use common sense in taking Heather anywhere near were she would run into Ricky. Daughter’s house or not. Never trust the one you are seperated from in the first place. You never know what they will do. This is something Angie will have to deal with the rest of her life. My opinion, she is at fault for taking this child over there, and she will have to deal with it.
omg! now i caused this?how crazy is that? what an itiot!
Totally agree with DJ that Angie should not have taken the child around her daughter or near the area of an enstranged husband. Gretal1213 your selfish reasons that you will do what you want if you are not with that person. A child died because of some of this reasoning. Yes Ricky pulled the trigger but she brought him the bait.
For pete’s sake, DJ - she was going to her DAUGHTER’S HOUSE to let Brooke play - apparently they knew each other because it was said she was going to play with “friends” (not enemies). Is the lady not allowed to “safely” visit her own daughter without some idiot with a gun killing an innocent child??? This man needs to be put down quickly. She had apparently been in a bad marriage or she would not have been out of the marriage -(temper on his part????). She should not have to fear visiting her own daughter. Wake up DJ. You’re just arguing for the sake of arguing.
this is rediculous.that guy is not god and has no right to put any restriction on anyone living thier lives.he still gets full blame.no one would keep me pinned up in my house.and if i had a step child that is my right to take them around my children.absolutley rediculous!
To quote your own words - “she should have been able to take that child any where safely” - key word there - SAFE.
She should have known better - period.
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