Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Hate Thy Neighbor’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Fear Thy Neighbor,’ we get a detailed account of the 2020 murder case of Tyra Phillips Womack. As she was popular in her community for being a gospel radio host, her sudden death came as a shock to her family, friends, and neighbors. Featuring insightful and exclusive interviews with the victim’s loved ones and the officials connected to the investigation, the episode also provides the viewers with the intricate details of the aftermath of the tragedy.
Tyra Phillips Was Found Dead Right Outside Her Baltimore Residence
It was in 1962 when Tyra Phillips Antoinette Womack entered the world of her parents and radiated the lives of her loved ones, including her sister Courtney Scott, through her contagious smile. Giving in to her religious beliefs, Tyra earned her spot as an announcer of WEAA’s flagship show called ‘Gospel Grace Afternoon,’ which was stationed at Morgan State University’s School of Global Journalism and Communication. Apart from being busy on Sunday afternoons with it, she also served as the administrative assistant to the US Post Master General for the DMV Region.
Moreover, being the “Voice of the Community” since 1989, Tyra was an integral part of First Apostolic Faith Church (South Caroline Street) as well. She resided in the 2400 block of Albion Avenue in Northeast Baltimore, Maryland, along with her son. Known for her compassionate nature, the loving and well-respected member of the community had a lot going on in her life when she was unexpectedly taken away from the world. On June 10, 2020, the 57-year-old Baltimore radio announcer was found shot outside her residence. When the police found her with multiple gunshot wounds, she was rushed to the Johns Hopkins Hospital, but unfortunately, she succumbed to her fatal injuries. Thus, a homicide investigation was launched in order to get to the bottom of the case and capture the perpetrator responsible for the killing.
A Longtime Dispute With a Neighbor Allegedly Led to the Demise of Tyra Phillips
After collecting evidence from the crime scene, the investigators began interviewing potential witnesses in the neighborhood and Tyra Phillips’ loved ones. A couple of witnesses claimed that the victim’s next-door neighbor, Richard Sylvester Green, got involved in a heated argument with Tyra and her son, resulting in Richard shooting her down. The residents of the neighborhood also claimed that the suspect had a habit of getting into arguments with his neighbors.
Tyra’s sister, Courtney Scott, revealed that her sister and Richard had a longtime feud going on, which also saw them go in and out of court. According to her, Tyra returned home from an evening walk when Richard began shooting at her son, who had been waiting for her on the front porch. In order to protect her son, she got between him and the bullets, resulting in her tragic demise. In light of the testimonies from the witnesses, Richard was deemed the prime suspect, and an arrest warrant was obtained. For the following six days, he was on the run while the detectives closed in on him.
When Richard was spotted running from a bus stop in the 8600 block of Philadelphia Road in Rosedale by the police, he was arrested and taken into custody without incident for the shooting murder of the local gospel radio host, Tyra Phillips. He was charged with three counts of firearm use in a violent crime, first-degree assault, attempted first-degree murder, and first-degree murder. Not long after his arrest, the accused confessed to shooting his neighbor. However, he did not reveal his motive. At first, he was put under the supervision of the Maryland Department of Health.
Richard S. Green is Yet to be Proven Competent to Stand on Trial
In October 2021, Richard S. Green was found incompetent to stand trial in the murder case of 57-year-old Tyra Phillips Womack. About a year later, he was found capable of attending the proceedings, but the doctor found him incompetent again after meeting with him. The doctor deemed him a danger to others and claimed that he was not fit to stand trial. After a gap of more than a year, on January 17, 2024, when Richard was examined again for competency, he was declared to be incompetent for trial yet again. Meanwhile, Richard believed that he was competent and asked the court to either release him or let him stand trial.
While maintaining his innocence, he claimed that keeping him behind bars for so long without a trial was unconstitutional. Despite being declared competent to stand trial a few months later, he was ordered to remain in Clifton T. Perkins Hospital, where he had been held since November 2021, while the new report was reviewed. On July 31, 2024, the accused was yet again found incompetent in mental health court, despite the initial report hinting otherwise. As of now, he awaits his next appointment in mental health court, which is scheduled for January 22, 2025.
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