One horrifying story surrounding Rae Carruth is still a mystery. The ex-player of the Panthers, who recently fired their coach, was known for his football prowess but his name is also associated with a horrendous murder of his pregnant girlfriend.
Delve into the shadows of this infamous event that rocked not only the football community but also captured the attention of a nation, exposing the darker aspects that sometimes lurk behind the glamor of athletic success.
Rae Carruth hired a hitman to kill his pregnant girlfriend
Rae Carruth, the former WR of the Panthers, hired a hitman, Van Brett Watkins, to kill his pregnant girlfriend, Cherica Adams in 1999. The motive behind the murder was Carruth’s reluctance to pay child support for Adams’ unborn child, as he was already supporting another child.
The hitman, Watkins, found guilty of murdering Cherica Adams and attempting to murder her son, Chancellor Lee, served over 20 years of a 50-year sentence. During Carruth’s 2000 murder trial, Watkins pointed to Rae Carruth as the one who hired him to carry out the crime. The prosecution argued that Carruth pressured Watkins, who was already facing multiple felonies, to participate in the murder plot.
In November 1999, Watkins shot Adams in a drive-by style while she was in her car in south Charlotte. Adams, despite being hit 12 times, managed to make a 12-minute 911 call that saved her baby’s life. Cherica Adams succumbed to her injuries a month after the shooting.
Chancellor Lee, born prematurely and facing severe disabilities, including cerebral palsy, was able to graduate from high school after being raised by his grandmother, Saundra.
Rae Carruth was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and served nearly 19 years in prison. He was released in 2018 from the Sampson Correctional Institution in Clinton, North Carolina. While in prison, Watkins transformed, adopting the practice of Islam and turning his life around.
Hitman behind Rae Carruth’s pregnant girlfriend’s murder dies at 63
The hitman, Van Brett Watkins, who claimed Carruth hired him, passed away at the age of 63 in a North Carolina prison.
Watkins died from natural causes on December 3 and was hospitalized at the time of his death, according to a spokesperson from the N.C. Department of Adult Correction.
Saundra Adams, Cherica’s mother, expressed that Watkins’ death was not a coincidence. She highlighted the timing, mentioning that Watkins passed away 24 years after taking her daughter’s life and when Chancellor, the surviving baby, turned 24.
“It’s no coincidence that to me he passed away 24 years ago in December after he took my daughter’s life and that Chancellor is now 24 years old,” she said.
Before his death, Watkins reached out to Saundra Adams, expressing a desire for her to visit him. In an interview following his conviction, Watkins apologized for the murder and mentioned thinking about Chancellor, Mrs. Adams, and Cherica Adams every day.
“Every day I think of Mrs. Adams, every day I think of Chancellor, and every day I think of Cherica Adams and the wrong that I did,” Watkins said.
Saundra Adams, after consideration, declined Watkins’ request to visit, stating that none of the questions she wanted to ask would bring her daughter back.
Van Brett Watkins’ death adds another layer to this haunting narrative, leaving lingering questions and unresolved sorrow.
