Ezekiel Kelly Sentenced to Three Life Terms Plus 200+ Years in 2022 Shooting Spree
(Shelby County, TN) — The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office announced today that Ezekiel Kelly has entered a guilty plea in connection with the September 7, 2022, mass shooting that left three people dead and three others wounded.
The plea agreement guarantees that Kelly will serve three life sentences plus more than 200 additional years, ensuring he remains incarcerated for the rest of his life, delivering long-awaited justice to the victims’ families while sparing them the prolonged and painful court proceedings often associated with death penalty cases.
Incident Summary
On September 7, 2022, Kelly carried out a series of violent acts across Memphis, killing:
Dewayne “Amir” Tunstall
Richard Clark
Allison Parker
Three additional victims were wounded:
LaKesha McGlathen
Rodolfo Zepeda
Randall Graham
The defendant faced more than 27 charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, terrorism, and carjacking.
Investigators gathered a vast body of evidence, including testimony from approximately 400 witnesses and more than 300 videos. The original trial date was set for July 14, 2025, but was postponed to allow additional time for evidence review.
Victim Families in Attendance at Plea Hearing:
Several family members were present for today’s proceedings, including:
Michael Ford, fiancé of victim Allison Parker
Sheila Finley and Sharmeen Miller, sister and niece of victim Richard Clark
Randy Graham, victim in the carjacking and attempted murder counts
Mike Summers, brother of victim Allison Parker
Statement from DA Mulroy:
“Death penalty cases can drag on for decades, keeping families stuck in the pain. This plea brings justice by making sure he’ll never be free, while also respecting what many victims have said—they’re ready to move forward. This plea brings certainty and finality to the families, who approve of this settlement and are ready to be done with litigation and move on. It avoids years if not decades of appeals. Most important, it makes certain that this defendant, who terrorized our entire city, will never see the light of day.”