Carlos Whitten Jr.

Carlos Antonio Whitten Jr., a 25-year-old father of four known in the Memphis music and video scene as “Ceo Los,” was building a life full of love and creativity before it was cut short by gunfire on July 19, 2020. Remembered as a loving and fun person by those who knew him, Carlos was a beloved son, brother, and doting father to his three daughters, Carmesia, Joshlyn, and Promise, and his son, Carlito. A graduate of Manassas High School, he was deeply connected to his community and family, a bond reflected in the outpouring of grief that followed his sudden death.

The specific circumstances of the shooting that ended Carlos’s life have not been publicly detailed by authorities. What is known is that on that Sunday in summer, he suffered a fatal gunshot wound in Memphis, Tennessee. In the absence of official information about what happened, his family was left to navigate their loss through the rituals of remembrance. They announced a visitation at Joe Ford Funeral Home, followed by a funeral service at Mount Zion Baptist Church on Dellwood Avenue. He was laid to rest at Pleasant Rest Memorial Gardens, leaving behind his children, his mother, Valencia Whitten, his father, Carlos Beckley, three sisters, and his grandparents.

The investigation into the homicide is being handled by the Memphis Police Department, but for Carlos's family, the process has been a source of deep frustration and pain. Nearly two years after his death, his parents took the extraordinary step of appearing before the Shelby County Board of Commissioners to voice their anguish over the lack of progress in the case. They described a painful silence from investigators, with calls going unanswered and a feeling of being left in the dark. His mother, Valencia, told the commissioners that the case had been transferred between detectives and that she felt the investigation had gone cold.

She explained that the family had tried to keep his memory alive and press for justice by participating in community "Stop The Violence" walks. She also shared her belief that a critical window to gather evidence had been missed. According to her, by the time police attempted to retrieve surveillance footage from the area where Carlos was killed, the video was no longer available. The family was told at that time that the investigation was being overseen by Detective Reginald Walker. Their plea to the board was a demand for the same urgency and attention they saw being given to other high-profile cases in the city.

No suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the murder of Carlos Whitten Jr., and no arrests have been announced. The case remains unsolved. A year before his death, in August 2019, a person named Carlos Whitten, Jr., then 23, was among 18 individuals named in a federal indictment related to alleged bank fraud and drug conspiracies connected to "Fast Cash Boyz Entertainment." The U.S. Department of Justice press release noted that the indictment contained only accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. No public information has linked this prior case to his subsequent homicide.

Years after his death, the central questions of who killed Carlos Whitten Jr. and why remain unanswered. His family’s public appeal for help highlighted a painful struggle for information and accountability. As of the family’s appearance before the county commission, the investigation was ongoing, but its status today is unclear. His loved ones continue to hope for a breakthrough that will bring them the justice they have long been seeking.