Bio

Charles E. Rice was born on February 2, 1965. He grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the youngest of six children in his family. As he grew older, Rice attended school in Memphis. However, he faced challenges in his education. He had difficulty with his studies, which led to him being held back in the third grade. By the time he was in fifth grade, his reading level was still at a third-grade level, and he had poor grades in other subjects as well.

Rice's life was marked by significant loss. Several of his close family members died during his childhood. One of his brothers was murdered, and another sister died from an illness. These events likely had a strong impact on his life and mental health. He did not perform well in school and eventually dropped out in the eighth grade due to frequent absences.

At the age of sixteen, Rice witnessed a crime in his neighborhood. He testified against the criminals involved and identified them in a police lineup. This experience was notable in his life, but it did not seem to lead to any positive changes. Instead, he struggled with issues related to drug use, particularly crack cocaine.

As an adult, Rice became involved in serious domestic issues. He was married to Tracie Anderson at one point, and they had a tumultuous relationship. Tracie left Rice several times but often returned. Their relationship included conflicts, and there were indications that Rice had a problem with substance abuse.

By the year 2000, Rice was living in Memphis with his wife and her children, including Tracie's daughter, Emily. Emily Branch was his stepdaughter, but she had not lived with him and Tracie for a significant time. It was a complex family situation, and tensions were high leading up to the tragic events of June 18, 2000.

Murder Story

On June 18, 2000, Emily Branch, a 13-year-old girl, was reported missing after leaving her father's house in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father, Steven Branch, became worried when she did not return home by the evening. He called the police that night to report her missing. The police suggested she would likely return as a runaway, but Steven insisted that Emily had never run away before.

Eight days later, on June 25, Emily's body was discovered in a wooded area near an Amoco gas station. Tony Evans, a family friend, found her while searching the area after smelling a foul odor. He saw Emily's shoes and called Steven to inform him of the discovery. They went to the spot together, where they found Emily's body lying face up in an old creek bed. At that point, her clothing had been pulled down, indicating sexual assault.

The police were called, and Sergeant Robin Hulley arrived at the scene. He noted that Emily's body was in a state of advanced decomposition, making it difficult to identify her at first. The only blood at the scene was found around her body. An initial investigation pointed towards Charles Rice, Emily’s stepfather.

After weeks of investigation, Charles Rice was brought in for questioning. Initially, Rice denied any involvement and claimed he had seen Emily with other children that day. However, his story changed when confronted with evidence and witness accounts. He eventually admitted to having sexual contact with Emily at his home but said that she left afterward.

According to Rice's later statements, he had lured Emily into the wooded area under the pretense of showing her an apple tree. He alleged that his nephew, Mario, was the one who killed her with a kitchen knife, stabbing her multiple times. Rice claimed they both planned the murder to eliminate her. He described the attack, saying Mario stabbed Emily while she was alive.

Medical examinations later confirmed that Emily had suffered 16 stab wounds, including defensive wounds, indicating she fought back. The wounds were consistent with being inflicted by a kitchen knife, and her death was ruled as a result of multiple stab wounds.

Charles Rice was arrested on June 26, 2000, eight days after Emily was reported missing. He was charged with murder and was ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder. On January 14, 2002, he was sentenced to death. The verdict was later upheld by higher courts, concluding that the evidence against him was substantial and compelling, establishing his role in Emily's murder.