The Murder of Terrance Kelly

For this case, I watched an episode of Murder Under the Friday Night Lights. It’s season 1 episode 6, titled ‘Mr. Untouchable.’

A young football star is shot two days before leaving for college.

Background

Terrance ‘TK’ Kelly had grown up in Richmond, California. He was raised by his grandmother, Bevelyn, and his father, Landrin. Terrance learned to play sports at a very young age in his grandmother’s backyard.

For high school, Terrance attended De La Salle High School, about 14 miles from Richmond. At the time, De La Salle was the number one football team in the country, and had an undefeated record. Terrance was their star player, and earned a division 1 scholarship to the University of Oregon.

The Shooting

Terrance graduated from high school in 2004. He immediately went to the University of Oregon to participate in the summer football workouts.

On August 12, 2004, Terrance had come back to California for only a few nights to spend time with his family. Terrance and his cousin, Lanny, spoke on the phone. Terrance said he’d be over to pick Lanny up after he picked up his friend/step-brother, Brandon Young from his girlfriend’s house. Terrance’s dad was dating Brandon’s mom, so the 4 of them lived together.

Around 10:30pm, Terrance arrived to pick Brandon up. Brandon told Terrance he wouldn’t be waiting outside for him, but to text him when he got there. Brandon was rushing around to grab some items in the house when he heard a gunshot. Terrance was shot inside his dad’s car.

The Richmond police arrived. The scene was described as very chaotic as many bystanders arrived at to the scene. Terrance’s family had been notified, and saw their loved one lying in the road. Terrance was pronounced dead at the scene.

Street Politics

At the scene, the police found several .22 caliber shell casings, and a knit skull cap. In the backyard of Brandon’s girlfriend’s home, the police found a bolt action rifle wrapped up. The shell casings in the street matched the shell casing that was still inside the gun.

Richmond, California, was at the time very divided between north, south and central. Terrance was from south Richmond, but wasn’t into street politics. Terrance was well known to almost everyone and a star athlete. If he went into the central or north areas, people would say he was off limits.

Terrance didn’t have a weapon on him, and didn’t have any defensive wounds. It was clear to the police that Terrance’s murder was premeditated. The shooter would’ve had to re-cock the weapon and shoot 4 times. Terrance had been shot 3 times in the head and once in the back.

The Motive

The first theory that the police looked into was a possible love triangle. Terrance was known as a ladies man, and had a few girlfriends. This was eventually ruled out.

The police became suspicious of Terrance’s friend/step-brother, Brandon. Brandon was the last known person to have talked to Terrance, and he knew he’d be picking him up.

Brandon was interviewed and had failed a lie detector test. The police learned that Brandon was jealous of Terrance and of how he was treated. Landrin and Brandon clashed a bit at the home as well.

Brandon was known to have run with the DC street gang. Brandon eventually told the police that he had sheet his two friends, Larry Pratcher, 18, and his brother, Darren, 15, outside the home. Brandon also said that Darren had been the one who had been wearing the knit skull cap found at the scene.

Terrance knew the Pratcher brothers from playing football. Larry and Darren were also known to be turning towards the gang lifestyle. Darren seemed to be even more jealous of Terrance than Brandon was. Darren had wanted to fight Terrance, but Terrance said it wasn’t worth his time.

Terrance had also once snubbed Darren at a party, so it seemed like Darren had been plotting his revenge for awhile.

A Young Killer

The case against Darren was weak at first. The police learned that several females living at an apartment complex across the street from the murder scene had given Darren the rifle used. They had been holding the gun for the street gang, and Darren was the one who picked it up.

A warrant was obtained for Darren’s arrest. His photo was splashed across the news until he was found. Terrance’s family was shocked that a 15-year-old would have planned to kill Terrance.

Larry Pratcher was arrested for being at the scene of the murder. Darren turned himself in 5 days after the murder. At first, he denied being at the murder scene. He was confronted about knit skull cap being found. Darren said he was at the scene, heard the gunshots, and was the last one to leave the scene. Darren said Brandon must have seen him because he was the last one to run away.

Darren’s fingerprint, and only Darren’s print, was found on the rifle. Darren was tried as an adult, and convicted of first degree murder. He was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.

Darren had told a friend of his that he had to do what he had to do.

The police believe to this day that Brandon was somehow involved and had set Terrance up to be killed.

Other

Larry’s charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Brandon Young was shot and killed at a bowling alley 4 years after Terrance’s death. Brandon’s murder has never been solved.

Landrin has also since been killed after being in an altercation with another man.

FINAL THOUGHTS

A 15 year old ruined his life because of his jealousy. Terrance deserved to go to Oregon to play football and maybe go to the NFL. Instead, he was shot and killed over nothing. It’s really sad that so many young lives were ruined.

Sources

https://thecinemaholic.com/terrance-kelly-murder-where-is-darren-pratcher-now/

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Teen-guilty-of-murdering-De-La-Salle-star-2468353.php

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2007/01/19/pratcher-gets-50-years-to-life-for-terrance-kelly-murder/

https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/A-dozen-years-after-his-son-Landrin-Kelly-is-10952915.php

https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20040817&slug=webprep17