Officers nearby heard shots just before 4:45 a.m. and moved in as a wounded man was rushed to a hospital.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis police say a man was shot and killed in a Frayser driveway early Jan. 9 after he and his wife turned into the property, and that officers who heard the gunfire detained a suspect within minutes.
Investigators said the encounter unfolded on Point Church Avenue near North Trezevant Street as officers were clearing a separate alarm call at a nearby school. They reported hearing multiple shots, driving toward the sound and finding a bleeding victim, a firearm and a man they described as the shooter. The case adds to a series of confrontations that begin on private property and escalate into deadly force, prompting fresh scrutiny from prosecutors and the public.
Police identified the suspect as 43-year-old Tommy Lee Applewhite. He was booked on second-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony and convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Major Kimberly Collier said officers arrived quickly because they were already in the area and immediately secured the scene. The victim, struck in the stomach more than once, was taken to a hospital where he died. The department has not publicly released the victim’s name. Relatives identified him as Rodriguez Poplar, a father known as “Spanky.”
In an interview, the widow, Sheila Booker, said the couple pulled into the driveway to turn around when a man came outside with a gun. She said her husband stepped between them and the muzzle. “He tried to protect me,” she said. A neighbor who works nearby described hearing sirens before dawn and seeing officers place a man in handcuffs while paramedics worked on the victim. As daylight grew, detectives placed evidence markers near the front walk and collected shell casings from the concrete and grass.
Applewhite remained in the Shelby County jail pending his first appearance in General Sessions Court. Prosecutors are reviewing the file and will decide whether to amend charges when the medical examiner issues the full report. Detectives are pulling audio from 911, confirming the sequence of officer radio traffic and gathering any available security footage from homes and the nearby campus to document the first moments of the encounter. The department did not say whether either vehicle’s lights or cameras captured the confrontation, and it did not release information about any prior calls at the address.
By evening, flowers and candles appeared along the curb near the driveway. Friends said Poplar doted on his children and kept his circle close. One passerby said the scene reminded her of how quickly routine mistakes can spiral. Collier thanked residents for providing statements and said more updates will be released after court sets Applewhite’s bond status. The widow said she plans to speak again after the hearing.
Police said the next update is expected after Applewhite’s initial court appearance this week. Detectives asked anyone who heard or saw the pre-dawn exchange to provide statements to round out the timeline before the case moves to a preliminary hearing.
Author note: Last updated January 15, 2026.