Richard Karikari Asare, a 24-year-old Black man of Ghanaian descent, was a student at Morgan State University with a life full of promise. Born on July 25, 1983, he was a resident of Silver Spring, Maryland, at the time of his death. Friends and family knew him as a bright and hopeful young man pursuing his education and future in Baltimore. His sudden death left a void in the lives of those who knew him and in the broader university community where he was a student.
The morning of Monday, September 17, 2007, was the last of Richard's life. At about 11:20 a.m., he was walking in the 1300 block of East Cold Spring Lane, a busy thoroughfare just three blocks from the Morgan State University campus. In the middle of the day, an unknown person approached Richard and fired a single, fatal shot. The brazen act of violence shattered the morning's calm and set off a wave of panic and grief.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene quickly. Richard was rushed to the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital, but his injuries were too severe. He was pronounced dead a short time after arriving, leaving his family and community to grapple with the senseless loss. The news of a student being killed in broad daylight so close to campus sent shockwaves through Morgan State University. In response to the shooting, the university sent out an emergency alert to the 2,000 students who had subscribed to the notification service, urging others among the nearly 7,000-strong student body to sign up.
The Baltimore City Police Department's homicide unit immediately took charge of the investigation. Detectives canvassed the area for clues and appealed to the public for any information that might lead to the killer. The case took an unusual turn when a man called into a WBAL Radio talk show, claiming that his friend had witnessed the shooting. Police publicly expressed their urgent desire to speak with both the caller and the alleged witness, hoping to gain a crucial lead in the case.
Despite the public nature of the crime and the police department's appeals, the investigation quickly grew cold. No suspect description was ever publicly released, and no arrests have been announced in the years following Richard's murder. The motive for the shooting remains unknown, leaving a painful void of unanswered questions for his loved ones and the community. The area where Richard was killed has been the scene of other violent crimes, but no connection has ever been made to his specific case.
As of today, the murder of Richard Karikari Asare remains an unsolved homicide. His case is one of thousands of cold cases in Baltimore, a city that has long struggled with a high rate of violent crime. For Richard's family and friends, the passage of time has not diminished the pain of their loss or their desire for justice. The Baltimore Police Department continues to list the case as open, awaiting the new lead that might finally solve this tragic and violent crime. Anyone with information about the murder is asked to call Baltimore City Homicide detectives at 410-396-2100.
