The Raven Podcast Investigates Ray Lewis And A Double Murder in 2000

 SHADOW OF THE SUPER BOWL: “THE RAVEN” SWOOPS IN WITH NEW REVELATIONS SURROUNDING NFL HALL OF FAMER, RAY LEWIS’ 2000 DOUBLE MURDER CHARGE

 I lived in the Atlanta area when this double murder occurred. I'm not one to rush to judgment, especially when someone's reputation is on the line. I will say, however, there are a lot of unanswered questions about that night, and unsolved mysteries. 

Where is the suit Ray Lewis wore that night that is allegedly soaked in blood? Why did Lewis flip and become the State's star witness at the trial of his two companions? Why did Lewis pay the families several years later after an agreement to end a civil lawsuit was made, if Lewis was innocent? Why has Lewis made such ambiguous and baffling statements about the murder in the intervening years?

Well, a new investigative podcast may give us some answers.

On January 31, 2000, hours after Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta, Baltimore Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis and a group of friends got into an altercation with a group of men outside a club. Within minutes, two men — Richard Lollar and Jacinth Baker — were dead in the street, both stabbed multiple times.

Ray Lewis was immediately the prime suspect in the double murder. He and two of his friends – Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting – were charged with murder and stood trial, but ultimately walked free. To this day, questions surround that night in Atlanta, and the murders have remained a cloud over Lewis’ otherwise remarkable career. Did one of sports’ biggest stars get away with a heinous crime, or was he falsely accused in a tragic misunderstanding? Did the NFL or law enforcement participate in a cover up? Most importantly, who was actually responsible for the murders?

Over 20 years later, sports journalist Tim Livingston, known for hosting the hit investigative podcast “Whistleblower,” provides answers to these lingering questions. Livingston has spent the past three years investigating the case and reveals his findings in “The Raven”. Uncovering the truth of what really happened that night and revealing a string of coverups, “The Raven” includes never- before-heard interviews and new evidence surrounding the case.

“Going into the investigation, there wasn’t a ton of information out there, which is shocking when you consider it was a double homicide involving one of the world’s most prominent sports stars,” says host Tim Livingston. “My hope with the podcast is to give the Lollar and Baker families closure, and that listeners not only understand what happened that night and why, but also recognize the importance of holding individuals and organizations accountable.”

“The Raven” is hosted by podcast creator and content executive Tim Livingston and produced by Tenderfoot TV in partnership with Audacy.

Livingston’s first narrative podcast, “Whistleblower,” an eight-year investigation into the NBA betting scandal produced with Tenderfoot TV, was named one of Spotify's Top Podcasts of 2020 and won the Ambie Award for best sports podcast 2020. In 2022, Livingston was named the VP of Content at Underdog Fantasy, where he co-created Gil’s Arena with former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, one of the biggest sports shows in the world, amassing 25 million views per month. 

I listened to the first episode and Livingston begins in Akron, Ohio, the hometown of the two murdered men that night in 2000. Livingston does not rush to judgment. In this initial episode, he begins to ask questions and search for more conclusive answers than the responses that have been given for the last two decades.

In addition to helming his second podcast with Tenderfoot TV, “The Raven,” Livingston is currently producing his second documentary for Netflix’s “Untold” series. Prior to podcasting, Livingston was a writer. He started his own newsletter, The Lead, which he sold to the Chernin Group in 2018.

Check out The Raven. It isn't simply a true-crime story. It's a morality tale about the criminal justice system, celebrity, race, and a subculture of violence.