DEATH TO DODGE CHILD SUPPORT; THE MURDER OF CHERRICA ADAMS

 DEATH TO DODGE CHILD SUPPORT; THE MURDER OF

                          CHERRICA ADAMS

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INTRODUCTION

         Rae Caruth was born Raw Wagner (January 20, 2974). He

was an American former football player who was convicted of

conspiracy to commit murder. He played in the NFL as a wide

receiver for the Carolina Panthers. During his college years,

he was a four-time-All-American. He was selected in the first

round of the NFL draft.

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PERSONAL LIFE

  

            During Caruth's sophomore year in college, his girlfriend,

Michelle Wright, gave birth to their son; Ray Jr. Wright had to

sue Carruth in order to receive any child support from him. He

paid several thousand up front, with promises, in the near future,

to compensate her in full for all owed child support.

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CRIMES

            On November 14, 1999, near Carruth's home in Charlotte,

North Carolina, Cherrica Adams, a real estate agent he had been

dating, was shot four times with a .357 caliber revolver by Van

Watkins; a nightclub manager and associate of Carruth. Adams

managed to call 911, and was able to tell operator that Carruth

had stopped his car in front of hers, and that another car drove

alongside her car, and, while passing her vehicle, fired at

Adams into her car. Carruth left the scene immediately after the

shooting.

           Cherrica Adams was 8 months pregnant with Carruth's

child at the time. Soon after Cherrica was admitted to the hospital,

shortly after, falling into a coma. Doctors were forced to perform

an emergency C-section. While these events were unfolding,

Carruth went to the police station and posted a $3 million bail;

with the contention he would turn himself in if either the mother

or the baby were to pass away. Adams died on December 14,1999.

The baby, Chancellor Lee, survived, but suffered permanent brain

damage and cerebral palsy as a result of being without oxygen for

70 minutes. Carruth's NFL contract was suspended 3 days later.

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SENTENCING AND AFTERMATH

         At trial, the Prosecutor asserted that Carruth had hired

hitmen to murder Adams because Adams refused to abort his

unborn child.

          Carruth was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder,

shooting into a motor vehicle, and using an instrument to destroy

an unborn child. He was also tried on firsts degree murder charges.

He was never found guilty of first degree murder, but was

convicted on all other counts. That not-guilty, like saved Carruth

from facing a potential death penalty sentence. He was sentenced

to 18-24 years in prison. 

          Watkins, the hired hitman, by Carruth, was sentenced to

40 years- to a maximum of 50 years. He died in prison on 12/3/23

Carruth was released from prison on October 22, 2018 after having

served 18 years. He relocated, post-release, to Pennsylvania.

He later settled/moved to Pennsylvania area and is re-married.