Ophelia Nichols has made headlines after the TikTok star used her online platform to address her son Randon Lee’s shocking death.
“Today would have been my baby child’s 19th birthday, but he was took from me last night,” the social media influencer said in a June 2022 video. “Took from my children and my husband and our family. My son was murdered. He was shot and I have this hatred in my heart that I don’t recognize ’cause I’ve never felt hate for anybody.”
At the time, Nichols explained she was still looking for information on what happened to her late son. “This individual took my son’s life. He was just 18 years old, that was the best part of somebody’s life. And I know they’re out there in my town. They’re out there. They’re out there living and breathing when my son is not,” she continued. “The word is already gotten out and I’m just being overloaded with messages. And I need to let everybody know. But I’m doing this video for a reason. Because I need y’all’s help.”
The Alabama native got visibly emotional as she discussed her efforts to track down details about Lee’s passing. “I never asked y’all for anything, but I need your help with this. There’s almost 7 million people that follow me. Somebody’s got to know something,” she said in the emotional clip. “Somebody knows who did this to my child. And I’m asking for somebody’s help. Anybody’s help. It’s my son.”
That same month, Nichols opened up about how her platform helped her efforts. “Through this process we’ve found out a lot of stuff — a lot of stuff we just didn’t know,” she explained via TikTok. “When your children live out on their own and pay their own bills and they have a good job — it just don’t cross your mind that they would be doing anything to get themselves into trouble.”
She added: “We’ve been told that the detectives think that marijuana was being [dealt]. My son was meeting there, and either they tried to rob him or they did rob him, but he was shot.”
According to Nichols, her son was struggling with mental health issues — including depression — following his father’s death. “We just had a birthday dinner for him. We were all telling him how proud we were of him — just had no idea. He comes from good people, and he comes from a good family and a good home. But sometimes that just don’t matter, you know,” she continued.
At the end of the video, Nichols pointed out that “nobody [has] the right” to harm her son regardless of the situation.
Scroll down for everything we know about Lee’s death:
During a press conference in June 2022, Prichard Detective Jason Hadaway detailed how Lee was shot at a gas station after approaching the gas pumps at the same time as the suspect. Hadaway noted that a suspect got inside of Lee's car and one shot was fired. The suspect then left Lee's vehicle and drove away from the gas station. Lee, for his part, also departed in an attempt to "escape" the shooter. The victim ended up crossing the road to another station where he was found by EMS. Attempts to revive Lee were unsuccessful and he died on the scene. Courtesy of Ophelia Nichols/Instagram
While breaking down the incident that led to Lee's death, Hadaway stated that the victim was "selling narcotics" to two people shortly before the shooting. "There was narcotics found in the vehicle when the crime scene unit processed the scene," the detective added, noting that there were "a couple of suspects in mind." At the time, Hadaway also clarified that Lee was selling marijuana. "This homicide is not more important than any homicide we've had in the city of Prichard or actually anywhere," he concluded. "I realize that Ms. Nichols has a TikTok following which is great, and all those followers could help by calling in if they have any information." Courtesy of Ophelia Nichols/Instagram
In the comments section of her first video, Nichols offered an update on the case, writing, “Just been told We have a lead on 2 individuals. I hope they see this video and know what they have done to my family." Courtesy of Ophelia Nichols/Instagram
In July 2022, Nichols got emotional discussing how husband Derick supported her through the difficult time in her life. "He did everything for me," she said via TikTok. "There was one day that I was so physically ill, my body in some way was reacting to my baby child leaving this earth ... and he was outside on the porch calling my friends, listening and asking how to help me because he's never seen me so sick before. I knew my husband loved me, but he really showed it through all this." Nichols noted that her husband and son shared a bond even though they weren't biologically related. "I've been with my husband 16 years and I ain't ever seen him cry," she continued, referring to their funeral for her son. "And that day in front of the casket, my husband cried for the first time in front of me." Courtesy Ophelia Nichols/Instagram
"I cannot lie, the past three days have probably been the worst for me," Nichols explained in a July 2022 TikTok clip, one month after her son's death. "I find at least the joy in something every day so that I can laugh or smile, but the only thing that I have been patiently waiting to do is go and be by the water ever since my family has been through the hardest moment of our life." Courtesy of Ophelia Nichols/Instagram
Reuben Gulley was arrested and detained in Alabama on August 18 in connection to Lee’s death, according to the Mobile County Metro Jail website. The 20-year-old suspect, who is facing murder charges, surrendered himself to the police, according to Fox 10 News. Mobile County Sheriff's Office
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