If you keep up with the news or movies, you must have heard of Falicia Blakely. A movie about his woman was made in 2017 that shook people. She is currently serving three life sentences, but her story is still talked about.
In case you haven’t heard of her, let us tell you what happened. If you are interested in the true story of this woman, we have written just the article for you.
People know her as a robber and a murderer, but there is more to her story than just that. Things happened that led her to do the things she did the way she did them. Her story is not a black-and-white one. We suggest you keep reading to uncover more details.
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Who is Falicia Blakely and what did she do?
To introduce you to the Falicia Blakely case, we’ll just say that she is both the murderer and the victim. Why are we saying that? You’ll find out soon.
Falicia was a woman from Jacksonville, Florida. She was born in 1986, and by the time she was nineteen, she had already murdered three men. Shocking, right? It is strange why such a young person would suddenly kill three people.
It was all because her lover, Michael Berry, influenced her to commit the crimes. Did he get any jail time? Unfortunately, not because no substantial evidence could prove that Michael influenced Falicia.
Falicia Blakely early life
The part of Falicia’s life that impacted her adult self started when she was sixteen. This was the time she moved to Atlanta and started attending a renowned high school. But, she soon dropped out of high school as she wanted to earn on her own.
Blakely’s life did not go south after she became a criminal. It had always been hard for her. She didn’t grow up in a healthy environment and had to go through a lot of abuse growing up. Her father was a drug addict who spent more time in jail than her. And her mother was more focused on the men in her life than Falicia. From this, one can easily understand how neglected Blakely felt in her life.
Falicia became pregnant with a child when she was just sixteen. To make things worse, the child’s father also cheated on her. She was heartbroken and helpless. At this time, a man named Michael Berry helped her get back on her feet and raise her son. Michael was everything she wanted and loved. He was ten to fifteen years older than her, but he treated her like she deserved to be treated. Michael showered her with love, clothes, food, and safety. Everything she ever wanted, she had with him.
When Falicia had enough of her parent’s abuse and ill-treatment, she left her home to live by herself. She dropped out of school and started working as a stripper at a bar. She wasn’t of age to be performing yet, but she managed to get a fake ID. Falicia worked hard to support herself and her son. But, she was soon influenced by her boyfriend, Michael Berry, to commit murder and robbery for money.
The Falicia Blakely case:
In 2003, Falicia Blakely and her accomplice Armeshia Ervin went on a twenty-four-hour crime spree on the orders of her boyfriend, Michael. They robbed several fast food chains in Atlanta and killed two men, Raymond Goodwin (34) and Claudel Christmas (35). Twelve hours after they murdered Raymond and Claudel, Falicia and Armeshia killed another man, Lemetrius Twitty. Lemetrius had been witness to an Atlanta fight that led to murder charges against NFL linebacker Ray Lewis.
After their crime spree, they were on the run for a week and drove the car of one of their victims. Falicia Blakely and Armeshia Ervin were arrested a week after they committed the murders at the restroom of a diner, Mrs. Winners. The pair had planned on robbing that finer as well, but the owners of Mrs. Winners called the police when they felt that the pair was acting suspiciously.
Falicia Blakely and Armeshia Ervin’s sentence
Falicia pleaded guilty to the armed robbery and the first double murders. This saved her from the death penalty, but she was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without being eligible for parole. As of 2022, she is serving her sentence in Arrendale State Prison.
Armeshia Ervin, who was Blakely’s accomplice, was given one life sentence with eligibility for parole in 2024.
The film adaptation of her story:
In 2017, a film called, When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story by Tasha Smith was released. It follows Falicia’s story as she gradually goes from being a young teenage mom to a stripper to an abused murderer.
Takeaway:
It is tragic what happened to Blakely and Ervin’s victims. But the reason we said she was the victim as well was that she was brainwashed by her boyfriend into committing crimes she never would’ve committed otherwise. Falicia had a hard life and even when she tonight she found peace, her situation deteriorated. One can only wish something like this never to happen again, but it is very likely that that wish to come true. The Falicia Blakely case is a story of a woman who was abused, mistreated, and misguided by the people she considered the most important.
Final thoughts
This is where our article on Falicia Blakely comes to an end. Stories like these are often not said in the right way. Hence, we hope to have said her story correctly and hope her victims rest in peace
Let us know what you think of this case in the comments below.
