Tyshika Adkins, a lovely mother, was brutally killed in her Cambridge, Maryland apartment in June 2004. Whereas the investigators initially suspected her child’s father, the killer was finally revealed to be somebody else they hadn’t considered.
‘Murder Calls: Tears For My Mother‘ on Investigation Discovery digs into how a DNA match led them to the murderer. So, shall we investigate what transpired?
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What Caused Tyshika Adkins’ Death?
Tyshika was born and raised in Cambridge. Her loved ones remembered her as a shy girl who was delightful to be around as she grew older.
She met Alonza Dennis when she was a freshman in high school in 1995. They hit it off and started dating, and two years after graduation, they had a kid.
The 22-year-old was working as a nursing assistant in a nursing facility at the time of the event and had been separated from Alonzo.
Although Tyshika had sole custody, Alonzo would see their son on a regular basis. Tyshika neglected to take up her son from his grandma on June 7, 2004.
When Alonzo arrived at her Cambridge flat, he found the door was open, which disturbed him. He reported her dead to 911 somewhere after 1 p.m. Tyshika was discovered with a pillow on her face on the bedroom floor.
In addition to symptoms of strangling, she suffered injuries to her head, neck, and chest. No sign of sexual intercourse, drugs, or alcohol was found.
Who Was The Killer Of Tyshika Adkins?
Tyshika fought back before being subdued, as evidenced by signs of a battle in the bedroom. They took DNA samples from beneath her fingernails.
Authorities also obtained fingerprints from an open orange juice bottle on the kitchen counter. Tyshika, according to her loved ones, kept her apartment tidy and didn’t drink the juice directly from the container.
While Alonzo was being interrogated, Tyshika’s DNA from beneath her fingernails did not match him. Richard Lavonte Banks was identified by the fingerprints found on the juice container.
He knew Tyshika thru his girlfriend, Lisa Pinder, they later discovered. Tyshika’s death was reported in the early morning hours Of June 7, 2004, and one of her friends remembers seeing her on June 6th night.
Richard’s movements at the time of the crime were now being investigated by the authorities.
When Richard’s DNA was found to match samples taken from under Tyshika’s fingernails as well as on her t-shirt, investigators suspected him of being the murderer.
Richard originally stated that he had never visited Tyshika’s flat and that he only knew where she resided in the local area.
However, he told a completely different account at his trial. Richard said to have met Tyshika at a Lisa-hosted party in 2003.
He then admitted to having a love relationship with Tyshika from April 2004. Richard claims he was in Tyshika’s residence between 9:40 and 10 p.m. on June 6, 2004.
Richard stated they had oral sex and that he touched Tyshika’s neck, breasts, stomach, and back to justify the existence of his DNA at the site.
She then put orange juice into a glass for him, but he said he took it with him because he was in a hurry.
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What Happened to Richard Lavonte Blanks And Where Is He Now?
Richard also said that he went to a friend’s house and stayed there until the next day. Richard called his father on June 7, 2004, & requested whether he could stay there as he was having trouble with his fiancée, according to his father.
Richard arrived in New Jersey on June 14, 2004, according to his father. Richard went to Tyshika’s house and found out where Lisa had been &Â killed her during an altercation, according to the prosecution.
He was guilty of first-degree murder & sentenced to life imprisonment in March 2010. He is still detained at Maryland Correction Institution in Jessup, where he is around 54 years old.