The 2006 Richmond spree murders took place during a seven-day period in January 2006 in and around Richmond,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, United States; seven people—four members of the Harvey family and three members of the Baskerville–Tucker family—were killed. The perpetrators were Ricky Javon Gray (March 9, 1977 – January 18, 2017) and his nephew, Ray Joseph Dandridge (born January 24, 1977). Dandridge's girlfriend Ashley Baskerville assisted the pair as an accomplice until she became one of their victims as well. After their arrest, Gray and Dandridge were linked to two prior murders, including that of Gray's wife in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, and a near-fatal assault in late 2005. Dandridge pleaded guilty to murdering the three Baskerville-Tucker victims in exchange for receiving a

life sentence Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes fo ...

without the possibility of

parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...

. Gray was convicted of capital murder in connection with the Harvey family murders and was

sentenced to death Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...

for the killings of the Harvey children. Gray's execution was carried out on January 18, 2017, at 9:42 p.m. by lethal injection. He was the second to last man executed in Virginia before the state abolished capital punishment.

Crimes preceding the murder spree

Murder of Treva Gray

On November 5, 2005, a passerby discovered the badly beaten body of 35-year-old Treva Terrell Gray in a shallow grave on Brookside Avenue in

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

, a suburb of

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

. Treva had married Ricky Javon Gray, a 28-year-old ex-convict, approximately six months before her murder, and had lived with her husband in a house owned by her family. Ray Joseph Dandridge, Ricky's nephew, had moved in with the couple following his release from prison on October 26, 2005, after serving more than ten years for

armed robbery Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...

. According to Treva's parents, the Grays fought bitterly, and claw marks were seen on Ricky's forearm on the day Treva's body was found.Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"Stepfather didn't trust Gray", January 10, 2006 While both Gray and Dandridge were interviewed by Washington police, they were not considered suspects. Treva's mother, Marna Squires, alleged that the police assumed that Treva had died of a drug overdose and were lax in investigating her death.Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Gray jury dismissed until Tuesday", August 22, 2006 While the police ruled Treva's death suspicious at the time, no homicide investigation was launched until after Gray's confession in 2006. Approximately a week after the discovery of their daughter's body, Treva's parents

evict Eviction is the removal of a tenant from rental property by the landlord. In some jurisdictions it may also involve the removal of persons from premises that were foreclosed by a mortgagee (often, the prior owners who defaulted on a mortga ...

ed Dandridge from their property; he then moved in with his father in

West Philadelphia West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of the city of Philadelphia. Alhough there are no officially defined boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Avenue to the nort ...

. On December 23, Gray moved out of the Washington residence as well to stay with his maternal grandmother in Arlington,

. Dandridge left West Philadelphia to join Gray on

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

2005.

Attack on Ryan Carey

On December 31, 2005, 26-year-old Ryan Carey was attacked by two men he later identified as Gray and Dandridge in front of his parents' home on the 5100 block of North 25th Street in Arlington. Carey sustained extensive beating and stab wounds to the chest, neck and arms in a near-fatal assault, and spent the next two weeks in a coma. He also permanently lost the use of his right arm.

Murder Spree

Harvey family

In the early afternoon of January 1, 2006, the bodies of Kathryn, Bryan, Stella, and Ruby Harvey were found dead in the basement of their burning house in the Woodland Heights district of Richmond, Virginia. The family of four had been bound with electrical cord and tape, beaten with a claw hammer, slashed, finally had their throats slit. Kathryn Elizabeth "Kathy" Harvey ( née Grabinsky; November 28, 1966 – January 1, 2006), aged 39, was the co-owner of a popular local toy store called World of Mirth in Richmond's Carytown district and was the half-sister of actor Steven Culp. Her husband, Bryan Taber Harvey (April 27, 1956 – January 1, 2006), aged 49, was the lead singer/guitarist of House of Freaks, a two-man

college rock College rock was the alternative rock music played on student-run university and college campus radio stations located in the United States and Canada in the 1980s. The stations' playlists were often created by students who avoided the mainstream ...

band. Their daughters Stella Ann (November 3, 1996 – January 1, 2006) and Ruby May (July 4, 2001 – January 1, 2006) were aged 9 and 4, respectively. Gray bound Kathryn, Bryan, and Ruby in their basement with packing tape, while Dandridge searched the house for items to steal. As this was occurring, Stella arrived home from a friend's house. Gray briefly unbound Kathryn so she could retrieve Stella from the upstairs. The mother of Stella's friend, Kiersten Perkinson, had a short exchange with Kathryn where Perkinson had described her as "pale and ashen". Kathryn did not indicate to Perkinson that there was anything amiss before she left. Kathryn and Stella were rebound by Gray in the basement shortly afterward. Gray ended up cutting the throats of all four of the family members and then hitting each in the head multiple times with a claw hammer shortly thereafter. The official cause of death stated that Bryan and Kathryn died of blunt-force trauma to the head, Stella of smoke inhalation and blunt-force trauma to the head, and Ruby of stab wounds to her back, one of which punctured her lung. Gray and Dandridge tipped over an art easel in the Harvey family's basement, poured wine over the top of it, and lit the easel on fire in an attempt to destroy the crime scene.

Johnny Hott Johnny Hott was the drummer for the House of Freaks, a musical duo with singer/guitarist Bryan Harvey. He was also one of three drummers for the band Cracker. He has also played drums for indie supergroup Gutterball and drums and keyboards fo ...

, Bryan's friend who was the drummer in House of Freaks, called 9-1-1 after noticing that the Harvey house had been set on fire.

Chesterfield home invasion

On January 3, 2006, a couple living on Hollywood Drive in Chesterfield County, Virginia, were robbed by two men and a woman who had gained entry to their house by pretending to ask for directions. The robbers stole several items, including a computer and a television, as well as $800 in cash. The husband was able to dissuade the gang from tying them up by drawing attention to the wife's

disability Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, ...

and his need to assist her.

The Baskerville-Tucker family

On January 6, 2006, the police received a call from a Chesterfield resident who was concerned about her daughter's friend, 21-year-old Ashley Baskerville. The caller suspected that Gray and Dandridge, her former houseguests and former and current boyfriends of Ashley, were involved in the Harvey murders. The police found items at the Chesterfield home linked to the Harvey case, and stormed the house on East Broad Rock Road where Ashley lived with her mother, 46-year-old Mary Baskerville-Tucker, and her stepfather, 55-year-old Percyell Tucker. Percyell worked as a forklift driver and Mary was employed at a dry cleaning establishment. All three members of the Baskerville-Tucker family were found dead, gagged and bound with tape in their ransacked house. Percyell and Mary had been slashed across the throat. The three had suffocated due to the layers of duct tape wrapped around their heads. Ashley had a plastic bag wrapped around her head as well, secured with duct tape.Richmond.com
"Prosecution: Victims Suffocated", September 19, 2006

Arrest and confessions

On the morning of January 7, 2006, Gray and Dandridge were arrested in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

, where Dandridge's father Ronald Wilson lived. Approximately one hour after the arrest, Dandridge confessed to killing the Tuckers and Ashley Baskerville.Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Dandridge: 'I bound the family'", September 19, 2006 Twelve hours after the arrest, Gray asked to speak with a detective, then proceeded to provide a detailed, three-page confession in which he described using a kitchen knife and claw hammer to kill the Harveys, stating "I don't believe sorry is strong enough. None of this was necessary."Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Gray: 'None of this was necessary'", August 17, 2006 In subsequent confessions, he admitted to beating his wife Treva to death while Dandridge held her down, to being an accomplice in the Tucker-Baskerville murders, and to the attack on Ryan Carey. On January 8, 2006, the police formally identified Ashley Baskerville as a participant in the Harvey murders, the Chesterfield robbery, and the robbery at her own home; this came as a result of the above confessions as well as eyewitness testimony and other evidence.CBS8.com
"Trial to Begin in Gruesome Va. Killings", August 8, 2006 Baskerville had acted as the lookout in the parked car while Gray and Dandridge entered the Harvey home, and she was found wearing Bryan Harvey's wedding band.
, "Tucker/Baskerville Family Murders" Gray and Dandridge testified that Baskerville had posed as a victim and allowed herself to be bound as a part of the plan to rob her mother and stepfather, but "things just went wrong"
"Live or Let Die?", August 18, 2006 and Gray "got tired of the girl, so he decided to kill her and take her parents' car".

Court proceedings

Both Gray and Dandridge were prosecuted in the City of Richmond Circuit Court in Virginia. On February 9, 2006, Gray was charged with five counts of capital murder in the Harvey killings: one charge for killing more than once in a three-year period, one charge for committing more than one killing in a single act, one charge for killing in commission of a robbery, and two charges for killing a child under 14 years of age. On the same day, Dandridge was charged with three counts of capital murder in the Tucker-Baskerville killings; the third count was later amended to include Dandridge's role in the Harvey killings. Dandridge initially pleaded not guilty and was tried in September 2006, but prior to closing arguments, he changed his plea to guilty on the three counts of capital murder as part of an agreement to receive a sentence of life in prison without parole. Gray pleaded not guilty, and his defense team sought leniency by presenting evidence of physical and

sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assa ...

during childhood as well as PCP use during the commission of the crimes. In August 2006, a jury found Gray guilty on five capital murder charges after four days of trial and 30 minutes of deliberation. The jury recommended that Gray receive the death penalty for the murders of Stella and Ruby Harvey, and life in prison for the three remaining charges.Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Gray gets death penalty", August 23, 2006 On October 23, 2006, Gray was sentenced to death.
"Killer of Virginia Family Gets Death", October 23, 2006 In December 2006, Culpeper County also indicted Gray for the murder of Sheryl Warner, a 37-year-old legal secretary and mother of three, found shot and hanged by an electrical cord in the basement of her burning house in the town of

Reva Reva may refer to: Places * Reva, Belgrade, urban neighborhood of Belgrade, Serbia * Reva, Mozambique, village in Ancuabe District in Cabo Delgado Province in northeastern Mozambique * Reva, Trebnje, small settlement just south of Dobrnič in the ...

.The Free Lance-Star
, "Culpeper indicts Gray", December 19, 2006 Gray pleaded not guilty.The Star Exponent
, "Not guilty plea from convicted killer Gray", January 9, 2007The Star Exponent
, "Ricky Jovan Gray pleads not guilty to Warner murder", July 18, 2007 On June 4, 2008, the charge was suspended due to contradictory evidence.
"Judge suspends Culpeper murder charge against death-row inmate", June 4, 2008 Between May 2011 and November 2015, Gray's execution was set and then stayed pending his various appeals in commonwealth and federal courts. In November 2015, a panel of the

Fourth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in case citations, 4th Cir.) is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Maryland ...

rejected Gray's appeal to that court. On January 19, 2016, Gray's execution was set for March 16, 2016, but was stayed again to allow Gray to appeal to the

US Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point of ...

. In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Gray's case. In November 2016, Gray was scheduled to be executed on January 18, 2017. His clemency plea was denied by governor

Terry McAuliffe Terence Richard McAuliffe (born February 9, 1957) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 72nd governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he was co-chairman of President Bill Clinton's 1996 ...

, and his lawyers filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court. He was executed on January 18, 2017, at

Greensville Correctional Center Greensville Correctional Center is a prison facility located in unincorporated Greensville County, Virginia, near Jarratt. The prison, on a plot of land, is operated by the Virginia Department of Corrections. "901 Corrections Way Jarratt, VA 238 ...

at 9:42 PM EST. Dandridge is currently incarcerated in the Sussex II State Prison.

Memorials

* The Bryan and Kathryn Harvey Family Memorial Endowment has been created "to provide music, visual art, and performing arts enrichment in the Richmond area, which may include but is not limited to educational scholarships". * An annual event, Ruby's Run, has been organized to raise money in Ruby Harvey's name for a scholarship fund at Ruby's preschool, the Second Presbyterian Child Care Center in downtown Richmond. The first took place on Saturday, November 4, 2006; the second was on Saturday, November 17, 2007; the third was Sunday, November 9, 2008, and the fourth was November 8, 2009. * In June 2006, the William Fox Elementary School in Richmond, where Stella Harvey attended school, dedicated its new Children's Garden to the memory of Stella Harvey. * In January 2007, a Richmond newspaper named the Harvey Family the 2006 Richmonders of the Year. * The American alternative country group

Drive-By Truckers Drive-By Truckers are an American rock band based in Athens, Georgia. Two of five current members ( Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley) are originally from The Shoals region of northern Alabama and met as roommates at the University of North Alab ...

dedicated the song "Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife" from their 2008 album, ''

Brighter Than Creation's Dark ''Brighter Than Creation's Dark'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Drive-By Truckers. It was released on January 22, 2008 in the United States. Background Recorded during and after the acoustic Dirt Underneath Tour, the album ...

'', to the Harvey family. Band member Patterson Hood stated he wrote the song in reaction to the death of Bryan Harvey and his family. *The Christian metal band

Demon Hunter Demon Hunter is an American Christian metal band from Seattle, Washington, started in 2000 by brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark. Although the brothers created the band together, only Ryan remains, since Don left the band to take care of his ...

dedicated the song " The Last One Alive" from their 2014 album ''

Extremist Extremism is "the quality or state of being extreme" or "the advocacy of extreme measures or views". The term is primarily used in a political or religious sense to refer to an ideology that is considered (by the speaker or by some implied share ...

'' to the memories of the Richmond murders, including the Harvey family. *The

City of Richmond The City of Richmond was a local government area about east of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1855 until 1994. History Richmond was incorporated as a municipality on 24 A ...

dedicated a newly-completed footbridge in Forest Hill Park to the memory of the Harvey family on September 19, 2010, naming it The Harvey Family Memorial Bridge. Community organization Friends of Forest Hill Park first proposed that the new bridge be designated as a memorial, and raised money to place a stone marker with a plaque nearby.

References

External links