Ricardo Sykes, 49, was fatally shot on the evening of Monday, June 19, 2023, at a residence on Fairfield Drive in Little Rock. Police found him in the front yard with several gunshot wounds just before 10 p.m.; he was taken to a local hospital and later died. The Pulaski County Coroner sent his body to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy.

Investigators quickly identified a suspect after Sykes’s wife, 40-year-old Crystal Perkins, contacted 9-1-1 and said she would surrender the next morning. Perkins was arrested and charged with first-degree murder; homicide detectives canvassed the neighborhood for witnesses and surveillance video. Family members say Ricardo had been a long-term victim of domestic violence; they described court dates and a restraining order as part of efforts to keep him safe. He is remembered by his children Mariska Sykes-Alexander, Ricardo Sykes Jr., and Jayanni Younge-Sykes, as well as his parents and siblings.

If anyone knew Ricardo or has information about the June 19 shooting, please share what is known.