October 5th, 2009
Atlanta Police have arrested and charged strip club employee Fredrick Richardson with the voluntary manslaughter of A.J. Jewell, ex-fiance of Real Housewives Of Atlanta star, Kandi Burruss. Jewell was involved in a fight in the parking lot of The Body Tap Club (a strip club he was part owner of) in Atlanta, when he recieved “massive head injuries” which resulted in his death. Police are still investigating Richardson’s motive for manslaughter.
 Kandi has officially released her first statement to Essence.com about his death:
“I am devastated by the loss of AJ. His death comes on the heels of the death of my beloved Uncle Ralph and with both of them gone, my heart is heavy with grief. I had spoken to AJ two hours before I got the call that he was in the hospital and never in a thousand years thought it was going to be the last time we spoke. He was taken way too soon. There are so many things that I should have said to him, wanted to say to him. But now it’s too late.
I want to deeply extend my heartfelt thanks to all of my family and friends – and that means my twitter and facebook friends as well — for the beautiful words of encouragement, prayers, and the sweet condolences. I make it through these difficult days because of you. I know this is cliché’ but I urge everyone to treat each day as if it’s your last and tell that special someone you love them today. Don’t wait. It may be too late. Please pray for AJ’s children, his family and Riley—they too are grieving the loss of an incredible man, son, brother and father. I wish you all had gotten to know the AJ we all knew and loved.â€
And, One of Kandi’s closest friends, Tiny also released this statement, saying:
“I would like to send my deepest condolences to the family of Ashley ‘AJ’ Jewell and my dear friend and former bandmate Kandi. AJ was a very sweet person who has been a friend for quite some time and had a lot of positive things taking place in his life for it all to be taken away from him so quickly.He will be missed,my family and I will continue to keep his family and most of all his children in our prayers. I am praying for my friend Kandi that God gives her the strength to endure. She is a very strong person and I know god will see her through.â€