The Nashville District Attorney’s office Criminal Court Division III Team Leader Megan King and Assistant District Attorney Gracie Moore secured a GUILTY VERDICT in State v. Ronnie Phillips this past week.
70-year-old Ronnie Phillips was found guilty of First-Degree Premeditated Murder in the murder of victim Christine Estok, along with Especially Aggravated Kidnapping and Aggravated Assault against Phillips’ girlfriend, Pascha Baskette.
Facts of the case: On July 19, 2022, the defendant, 70-year-old Ronnie Phillips, was spending the day with his girlfriend (31-year-old Pascha Baskette) and her aunt (Christine Estok). They all spent the night at the defendant’s home in Donelson, planning to hang out the next day. Pascha and Phillips went to the bedroom leaving Christine sleeping on a den sofa. When Pascha woke up the next morning, she found her aunt, Christine Estok, dead on the sofa with a gunshot wound to the head. Phillips claimed he killed Christine because someone named “Pa” called and told him that Christine was trying to set Pascha up with another man. Then, holding a gun and a taser, he told Pascha he was going to kill her. Pascha begged for her life. Phillips finally agreed to contact police only if they told them Christine committed suicide. Phillips staged the scene prior to police and paramedics arriving, but once authorities arrived, Pascha told them what really happened.
Based upon all the proof, prosecutors believe and argued that the defendant shot Christine while she was sleeping, then held his girlfriend Pascha against her will, threatening her with a gun and a taser.
The jury agreed, finding Phillips Guilty of all charges in just one hour of deliberations. The guilty verdict carries an automatic life sentence.
Convicted Killer Ronnie Phillips Victim Christine Estok