Man receives life sentence for Baltimore County shooting

BALTIMORE — A man was sentenced to life in prison, Thursday, for the commission of a 2019 murder, the Baltimore County State's Attorney for Baltimore County said.

Ricky Raheem Charles, 32, was sentenced to Life without the possibility of parole for First Degree Premeditated Murder and the Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime of Violence.

Around 6:30 p.m. on September 19, 2019, police responded to 609 Fairview Avenue in Dundalk for a reported shooting.

When they arrived they found the victim, Melissa West, lying in the street in front of her home suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest and back.  The injuries proved to be fatal. 

An investigation revealed that an argument between West and Charles on Avondale Road led to the incident.  Charles, who was driving an SUV, followed Melissa to her home, shot, and then killed her after another argument.