On May 24, 2023, Lakesha Thompson was found dead inside the Clayton County, Georgia, home of her fiancé, Nathan Fitten, just three days after the couple became engaged. Investigators initially concluded that Lakesha died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Her daughter, Ondrea Fluker, immediately questioned that conclusion. Then a private investigator started digging into the evidence: the position of the gun, Lakesha being left-handed, the bullet trajectory, gunshot residue testing, a previous police call, missing digital evidence, and statements that appeared to change over time.
In 2024, after Lakesha’s family presented additional investigative context to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the medical examiner changed her manner of death from its original ruling to undetermined. But the Clayton County Police Department still considers the case closed.
In this episode of Crime Junkie, Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat examine the mysterious death of Lakesha Thompson and the evidence her family believes deserves another look. You’ll hear about, the early-morning phone call Nathan Fitten made to Ondrea Fluker on May 24, 2023, Nathan’s 911 call approximately two and a half hours later, what responding officers documented when they entered the Clayton County home, questions surrounding the position of the firearm and Lakesha’s dominant hand, the bullet trajectory investigators documented inside the living room, gunshot residue evidence that raised additional questions for the family’s private investigator, and why the Georgia Bureau of Investigation ultimately changed Lakesha’s manner of death to undetermined.
The investigation also examines what happened at Nathan Fitten’s home just three months before Lakesha’s death. On February 24, 2023, another woman called 911 from outside the same Clayton County residence and reported that Nathan had pointed a firearm at her during a dispute. According to records reviewed for this episode, the firearm she described was consistent in appearance with the one later recovered with Lakesha. Nathan was not charged in connection with that incident.
Then, approximately a year after Lakesha’s death, Nathan unexpectedly called Ondrea. During the recorded conversation, he described what happened to Lakesha in a way that included details Ondrea and her investigative team say differed from statements documented immediately after her death.
This episode also explores Lakesha’s relationship with Nathan Fitten before her death, the body-camera footage from the morning she was found, why Nathan’s phone data became an important unanswered question, the Ring doorbell and interior camera investigators obtained warrants to collect, what Lakesha’s private investigator, Walter Reddick, discovered after reviewing police reports, crime-scene evidence, and other records, the family’s November 2024 meeting with Dr. Keith Lehman, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner who performed Lakesha’s autopsy, and why Clayton County Police declined to reopen the investigation after the medical examiner changed the manner of death.
Lakesha Thompson was a mother of four who was making plans for her future. She had recently completed a mental health retreat, was preparing to stand beside her longtime best friend Tonya Malone at her wedding, and had already purchased her bridesmaid dress and planned her trip.
Her daughter Ondrea isn’t asking investigators, or anyone else, to jump to a conclusion about what happened. She’s asking for answers. Because if the evidence conclusively explains Lakesha’s death, her family wants to see it. And if it doesn’t, they believe her case deserves another investigation.
If you or anyone you know is thinking about self-harm, please know that emotional support can be reached by calling or texting the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
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About Ashley Flowers
Ashley Flowers is the top female podcaster in the U.S. and the host of Crime Junkie, the #1 podcast among women and the #1 true crime podcast globally. As the Founder of Audiochuck, she has built a top-tier podcast production company that has garnered over 2.6 billion downloads, captivating audiences with its gripping storytelling through 10+ chart topping podcasts. Ashley and her team are dedicated to creating responsible true crime content that respects victims and their families.
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Watch Crime Junkie true crime podcast dedicated to covering the cases we just can’t get out of our heads. Every Monday, host Ashley Flowers on SloppBoxx.Com.
26:10 sounds like a cover up. Shame on them…
Thank you for telling Lakesha’s story. I hope Lakesha and her family get justice.
They need to sue the whole police department! This case was poorly handled and the cops did not do their jobs properly nor did they collect all of the evidence far as clothes, phone records, cam footage, checking the tub and analyzing the clothes he had on prior to the incident. I’d open the reopen the case solely on the incident months prior to this one, I hope his ex-girlfriend wake up everyday and remember how fortunate she is.
He lying and they fell for it 🤦🏾♀️ I hope whoever botched this investigation was FIRED EXPEDITIOUSLY ‼️This whole case proves that common sense isn’t always common‼️
I definitely think this is suspicious but A LOT of left handed individuals learn to do most physical tasks with their right hand unless a left handed parent or parental figure is in there life. I only write with my left and only ever learned how to do everything else with my right because it was easier to copy everyone else rather than try to have a right handed person adjust their view to a lefty. I shoot weapons with my right hand, that fact isn’t as much of a smoking gun as police departments and detectives make it out to be.
Why wasn’t it documented that she tested for GSR? Why was the bullet hole so low on the door behind her? Why did he wait so long to call 911? Why weren’t they more aggressive investigating Nathan?! Especially after those additional 911 calls from the off and on ex gf? I have so many questions. This is wild! #justiceforlakesha I pray that family finds justice for their mama! 🙏
Something has to be missing from this story because if the bullet hole wasn’t even where it was supposed to be from his story & no residue on her hand then there’s no way they would have just accepted his story. There has to be more to this