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OAKLAND — Homicide investigators were on the verge of potentially solving two killings, if only they could figure out everyone’s nickname.
The 2020 shooting death of 37-year-old Charles “Scrappy” King Jr. had gone unsolved for years, but in 2024 a man facing federal gun charges in Stockton agreed to tell police who had done it. It was “Lil Bubba,” the eyewitness told authorities, who’d shot a belligerent “Scrappy” as the victim was bragging about having killed “Mini Jug” in the same area weeks earlier, according to court records.
Police soon identified “Lil Bubba” as 47-year-old Ahmad Wyatt, and a second suspect was later identified as Andre “Frog” Heard, 44, court records show. Both were charged in 2024, and have since resolved their cases.
Heard pleaded no contest to assault with a firearm for a three-year prison term, and Wyatt was sentenced to 11 years after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter, court records show. Wyatt was transferred to North Kern State Prison on Sept. 18.
Police were later able to identify “Mini Jug” as 46-year-old Karlin Watts, who was shot and killed on Sept. 19, 2019, while standing on the 1400 block of 85th Avenue in Oakland, authorities said. Five months later, on Feb. 12, 2020, King was shot and killed at the same location, allegedly after bragging about having killed Watts, antagonizing passers-by, and knocking Wyatt down during a confrontation.
I guess he felt he was big (expletive) because of what he did. He thought people were scared of him,” the witness who came forward after catching a federal gun case testified at the 2024 preliminary hearing. An Oakland detective later testified that it was widely believed around that neighborhood that King had killed Watts.
After being shot, King allegedly attempted to run away, leaving a blood trail and limping from the area as he yelled, “I’m hit.” Then one of the suspects allegedly fired again, killing him.
At the preliminary hearing, Judge Rhonda Burgess doubted the defendants fired at King simply to scare him, saying that based on King’s reputation as a killer that would be like “poking the bear.” She also said that King seemed to be going out of his way to anger people.
“Mr. King has certainly done a lot that evening to make a lot of enemies,” Burgess said.
Originally Published:
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Nate Gartrell
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