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Ricardo Gayle, left, is accused of stabbing Tracy Cole, whose grandfather Freddy Cole was Nat King Cole’s brother, in the neck, chest and head Sept. 24 in downtown Atlanta. Gayle is facing a murder charge. Police say the two knew each other but did not elaborate. (Gayle photo: Fulton County Jail; Tracy Cole picture: Obituary)
The Atlanta Police Department has made an arrest in the stabbing death of the great nephew of iconic jazz singer Nat King Cole.
Ricardo Gayle, 41, is accused of stabbing Tracy Cole, whose grandfather Freddy Cole was Nat King Cole’s brother, in the neck, chest and head around 2 a.m. Sept. 24 near Centennial Park in downtown Atlanta. Paramedics took Freddy Cole, 31, to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Cops in Fairburn, a suburb of Atlanta, arrested Gayle during a traffic stop on Saturday, Atlanta police said. Gayle will be charged with murder, according to police. Atlanta police said the slaying was “not a random act” and that Tracy Cole and Gayle were “familiar with each other.” Police did not give a motive.
Family friend Camille Love told ABC affiliate WSB that was a nice young man who was often with his grandfather.
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“He was delightful, you know? He was just kind, gentle, easy-going. Liked the good life. You know, just an all-around good guy,” she told the outlet.
Tracy Cole served as his grandfather’s manager and traveled the world with him, family told WSB. Though not as well known as his brother, Freddy Cole was a talented musician in his own right. He was nominated to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and was twice nominated for Grammy’s in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category in 2010 and 2018. He died in 2020.
On his Instagram page Tracy Cole wrote that he was a cigar aficionado and was a sales rep for retired NFL great Chad Ochocinco’s company Eighty5cigars. In an Instagram post featuring a picture of the two, Ochocinco called Cole a “cherished member” of his company.
“Tracy’s unwavering dedication, boundless positivity, and warm spirit have left an indelible mark on our team and the wider community he touched, forever,” Ochocinco wrote. “Thank you for believing in the dream. Rest peacefully, dear friend.”
