Suspect Indicted in Child’s Shooting Death
A Raleigh-area man was indicted Tuesday in the death last year of an 8-year-old girl who was struck in the head by outside gunfire while standing in her kitchen with her grandmother, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 23, 2021 – A Raleigh-area man was indicted Tuesday in the death last year of an 8-year-old girl who was struck in the head by outside gunfire while standing in her kitchen with her grandmother, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Defendant Cedric Conley, 43, was indicted on first-degree murder in the perpetration of a felony and multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder. He is being held in the Shelby County Jail.
The shooting occurred Nov. 22, 2020, in an apartment complex in the 5200 block of Shelbourne Circle where Conley was in a dispute with several people in the parking lot, including a former girlfriend.
Witnesses said he retrieved an assault-style rifle from his apartment and began firing at the group.
Investigators said one of the rounds struck Jordyn Washington in the kitchen of another apartment where her grandmother was preparing her dinner. The child was pronounced dead at the scene.
Conley, who was on the TBI’s Most Wanted list, was arrested about two weeks later in New Orleans and was extradited to Memphis.
The case is being handled by Asst. Dist. Atty. Cavett Ostner of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Unit which handles cases of domestic assault and homicide committed by intimate partners.
Man Indicted in Shooting of Girlfriend’s Helper
A Westwood-area man has been indicted in the shooting death last year of a man who had stopped to help the defendant’s girlfriend whose car had broken down, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 22, 2021 – A Westwood-area man has been indicted in the shooting death last year of a man who had stopped to help the defendant’s girlfriend whose car had broken down, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
A grand jury indicted 27-year-old Brandon Gladney on counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and employment of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony.
Gladney is being held in the Shelby County Jail.
The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on May 8, 2020, at Third Street and Ford Road in southwest Memphis where a 29-year-old woman’s car was stalled in a traffic lane. Lorenzo McAdory, 42, and a friend stopped and asked the woman if she needed help. She replied that her car had broken down but that her boyfriend was on the way.
Investigators said Gladney, the boyfriend, arrived moments later, began arguing with McAdory, pulled a gun and began firing. McAdory was struck multiple times and was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. His companion sought cover under a vehicle and was not injured.
Gladney was arrested at his home a week later by U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force.
The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Stephanie Johnson of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 2 which handles cases in General Sessions Division 9 and in Criminal Court Division 2.
Indictment Returned in Gas Station Homicide
A 20-year-old man was indicted Thursday in the shooting death of a motorist following an early-morning dispute last summer at a gas station on Lamar near American Way, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 19, 2021 – A 20-year-old man was indicted Thursday in the shooting death of a motorist following an early-morning dispute last summer at a gas station on Lamar near American Way, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
A grand jury indicted Jacqueze Johnson on one count of first-degree murder. He is being held in the Shelby County Jail.
The shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. on July 3, 2020, at the Marathon Gas Station at 3465 Lamar following an argument involving some passengers in Johnson’s vehicle and another motorist, Christopher Griggs.
As Griggs was driving away, Johnson fired several shots at him. The vehicle Griggs was driving then struck another vehicle on the gas station’s parking lot. Griggs, 27, who was struck by the gunfire, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Johnson was identified as the suspected shooter and was arrested one month later.
The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Kirby May of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 5 which handles cases in General Sessions Division 13 and in Criminal Court Division 9.
Millington Man Indicted in Trucker’s Death
A Millington man was indicted Thursday in the death last year of a truck driver who was found shot in the cab of his tractor-trailer in Eads, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 19, 2021 – A Millington man was indicted Thursday in the death last year of a truck driver who was found shot in the cab of his tractor-trailer in Eads, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
James K. Huddleston, 28, was indicted on first-degree murder charges. He is being held in the Shelby County Jail.
Investigators said the victim, Dajuantae Stuart, 30, of Hermitage, Tenn., was found dead the morning of Jan. 8, 2020, in his truck which was parked on the side of Interstate 269 near U.S. Highway 64 in eastern Shelby County.
They said Stuart’s in-cab camera showed Stuart and Huddleston talking and then entering the bunk area of the cab. Gunshots can be heard on the recording and Huddleston then is seen exiting the cab and walking away.
He was identified and arrested the following day.
The case is being handled by Senior Felony Asst. Danielle McCollum of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 1 which handles cases in General Sessions Division 7 and Criminal Court Division 1.
Teen Indicted in Drive-Up Shooting
A Memphis teen was indicted Thursday in the roadway shooting death of a man last summer at a southwest Memphis intersection, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 19, 2021 – A Memphis teen was indicted Thursday in the roadway shooting death of a man last summer at a southwest Memphis intersection, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Anthony Green, 19, was indicted on first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and two counts of employment of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony.
Witnesses said that on the afternoon of June 19 last year two vehicles were stopped at Selby Drive and Neely Road when a third vehicle pulled up and the driver began shooting.
A passenger in one vehicle, Octavious Atkins, 27, was struck multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. A 49-year-old man who was the driver of the third vehicle was struck in the arm by a gunshot and was taken to a hospital.
The shooter’s vehicle, a white Mercedes SUV, was found burning behind a nearby building, but the driver was not located.
Green was developed as a suspect, and was arrested on a murder warrant on Sept. 26 when a Mississippi Highway Patrolman pulled over a vehicle he was traveling in on Interstate 10 near Gulfport.
The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Stephanie Johnson of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 2 which handles cases in General Sessions Division 9 and Criminal Court Division 2.
Fatal Fight Leads to Murder Indictment
A fight between two friends last year that began as a scuffle and ended with a shooting now has resulted in a murder indictment, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 19, 2021 – A fight between two friends last year that began as a scuffle and ended with a shooting now has resulted in a murder indictment, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
A grand jury Thursday indicted LaJuan Britton, 47, aka LaJuan Craft, on counts of first-degree murder and convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He is being held in the Shelby County Jail.
Investigators said Britton and Antonio Hines, 44, got into a fight the evening of April 26, 2020, in the 500 block of Gilleas Road in southwest Memphis. At one point, Britton said he was leaving, but told Hines he would be back.
About 15 minutes later, Britton returned and the fight resumed until he pulled a gun and shot Hines in the stomach and in the hip. Hines was taken to a hospital and before undergoing surgery told police that Britton shot him.
Hines died four days later of complications from his gunshot wounds.
The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Karen Cook the District Attorney’s Special Prosecution Unit (SPU) in Criminal Court Division 8. The SPU seeks maximum sentencing for repeat felony offenders.
Man Indicted in Arson-Homicide Case
A North Memphis man has been indicted on first-degree murder charges for allegedly setting fire to a rooming house last year which resulted in the death of another resident, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 18, 2021 – A North Memphis man has been indicted on first-degree murder charges for allegedly setting fire to a rooming house last year which resulted in the death of another resident, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
A grand jury also indicted defendant Jerry Lee Sanders on counts of aggravated arson and aggravated assault. He is being held on $500,000 bond.
The incident occurred on May 24, 2020, in the 1100 block of Gerard Street where Sanders, 57, was in an argument with Gregory Fowler, 54, over a lawnmower.
Investigators said Sanders told Fowler to leave the residence and that when Fowler refused Sanders began dousing the kitchen and Fowler’s bedroom door with gasoline. Sanders then lit a paper towel and threw it on the gas-covered floor.
Firefighters managed to get Fowler out of the burning house, but he died later at a hospital. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as smoke inhalation.
A female resident who was in the house escaped unharmed.
The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Stephanie Johnson of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 2 which prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 9 and in Criminal Court Division 2.
Whitehaven Man Indicted in Baby’s Death
A Whitehaven man was indicted Tuesday in the 2020 death of his girlfriend’s 23-month-old daughter who was left in his care, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 17, 2021 – A Whitehaven man was indicted Tuesday in the 2020 death of his girlfriend’s 23-month-old daughter who was left in his care, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Victor P. Williams, 28, was indicted on four felony counts, including first-degree murder in the perpetration of aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect. He is being held without bond in the Shelby County Jail.
Investigators were called to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital on May 28, 2020, where Lanniah Anderson was brought by ambulance in critical condition and died a short time later.
They said the child’s mother left for work at 5 o’clock that morning and that the baby and her two young brothers were left in Williams’ care at their apartment on East Holmes Road near Millbranch Road.
Williams told investigators that later that morning he was preparing breakfast for the two boys when he noticed Lanniah was unresponsive in her crib. He called 911 and said he did not know what happened to the baby.
An autopsy showed the cause of death to be multiple blunt force trauma.
The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Eric Christensen and Asst. Dist. Atty. Gavin Smith of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit which handles cases involving rape, aggravated rape, child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse of child victims, elder abuse and vulnerable-adult abuse. SVU was created in 2010 as an expansion of the multi-agency Child Protection Investigative Team (CPIT).
Man Indicted in Fatal Shooting at Party
A 58-year-old man was indicted Tuesday on first-degree murder charges in the shooting death of a Mississippi man during a fight at a party in 2020, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 17, 2021 – A 58-year-old man was indicted Tuesday on first-degree murder charges in the shooting death of a Mississippi man during a fight at a party in 2020, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
A grand jury indicted Douglas Edwards of the 4800 block of Manson Road near West Shelby Drive in the Westhaven community of southwest Memphis. He is being held on $100,000 bond.
The shooting occurred on the evening of July 17, 2020, at a party near the defendant’s home where he and Rodricas Clark got into an argument. Witnesses said Edwards left the party briefly, then returned with a handgun, shoved Clark and shot him multiple times.
Clark, 38, from Walls, Miss., was pronounced dead at the scene.
The case is being handled by Chief Prosecutor Stephanie Johnson of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 2 which handles cases in General Sessions Division 9 and in Criminal Court Division 2.
Cordova Home Closed as Nuisance
A private residence in a Cordova neighborhood where sheriff’s deputies have responded to 265 calls in the past two years was closed Thursday as a public nuisance, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
March 11, 2021 – A private residence in a Cordova neighborhood where sheriff’s deputies have responded to 265 calls in the past two years was closed Thursday as a public nuisance, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Two residents of the address – brothers Chauncy and Timothy Black – were charged with second-degree murder last year stemming from the shooting death of a neighbor across the street.
Chauncy Black is being held on $100,000 bond. Timothy Black died of an illness in December.
A petition for a temporary injunction to close the residence was approved and signed by Environmental Court Judge Patrick Dandridge. A hearing is set for 10 a.m. Monday.
“This petition is filed in an effort to stop a long-term and worsening problem of criminal activity occurring at 6910 Lagrange Circle S,” DA Weirich and Asst. DA Paul Hagerman said in the filing. “The address presents an uncontrolled danger and a nuisance, serving as a haven for violence, criminal disturbances, and other dangerous behavior.”
The residence, owned by Chauncy Black Trust, is off of Raleigh Lagrange Road and is less than a mile from Dexter Elementary and Middle schools, and from two churches.
The hundreds of calls for service also include an aggravated assault shooting, 11 domestic calls, six disturbance calls, 23 ambulance calls, and multiple armed persons calls and warrants. There also have been 10 felony arrests and eight misdemeanor arrests.
An intimidation incident on June 11, 2019, involved a neighbor’s complaint that Timothy Black had threatened to kill the neighbor’s dog.
The two-year investigation involved the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Memphis Police Department and the Multi-Agency Gang Unit.
The second-degree murder charge was filed against the brothers following the death of 26-year-old Kaleb Wakefield who was shot Jan. 4, 2020, in his driveway across the street following a loud altercation at the Blacks’ residence.
Chauncy Black received national attention in 2016 when he offered to carry shoppers’ groceries to their car in exchange for buying him a box of donuts for dinner. One shopper who helped also started a GoFundMe campaign for Black that raised more than $300,000.
Anti-Gun Violence Walk - News Conference
A news conference will be held Wednesday morning announcing the second Unity Walk Against Gun Violence to be held this weekend in Whitehaven.
Feb. 23, 2021 – A news conference will be held Wednesday morning announcing the second Unity Walk Against Gun Violence to be held this weekend in Whitehaven.
The outdoor press conference will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday on the Washington Street side entrance to the Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar. Masks and social distancing will be required.
The walk Saturday will begin at 10 a.m. in the parking lot Hillcrest High School at 4184 Graceland Drive and will cover a route of 1.4 miles. Participants will begin assembling at 9:30 a.m.
The walk aims to bring attention to the sharp rise in gun violence in Memphis and Shelby County. Memphis Police said a record 332 homicides occurred in the city last year.
“You think of the word ceasefire and think in terms of wars, but that’s what we are calling for in Memphis, a ceasefire,” said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich. “There are too many guns in the hands of people eager to use them - on anyone and for any reason. Many of those guns are stolen, so if you’re an owner with a permit, please keep your gun locked and in a safe place.”
A Unity Walk held last November in the Memphis Medical Center drew some 500 participants.
Speakers at Wednesday’s news conference will include Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland; County Mayor Lee Harris; Hazel Moore, who is often called “the Mayor of Whitehaven;” Erika Kelley of Memphis Moms Demand Action; Jerald Trotter with nonprofit Saving Absalom who appears in PSAs for the FedUp anti-gun crime campaign message “Don’t lose your head! Use your head, mane!”; and Stevie Moore of Freedom From Unnecessary Negatives.
Sponsors of the event include more than a dozen non-profit and government agencies involved in health care, social services and criminal justice.
Tennessee v. Pervis Payne
Last October a judge granted Pervis Payne’s request for DNA testing. She even allowed him to pick which items were to be tested and who would do the testing. In January, the results of those tests came back. Based on the court’s review of the report, the judge dismissed this last ditch effort to avoid execution. The results changed nothing. Why? Because Pervis Payne’s guilt does not rest on DNA. DNA did not convict him and unknown DNA on the crime scene items does not erase the facts or remove his guilt.
Feb. 15, 2021 — Last October, a judge granted Pervis Payne’s request for DNA testing. She even allowed him to pick which items were to be tested and who would do the testing. In January, the results of those tests came back. Based on the court’s review of the report, the judge dismissed this last ditch effort to avoid execution. The results changed nothing. Why? Because Pervis Payne’s guilt does not rest on DNA. DNA did not convict him and unknown DNA on the crime scene items does not erase the facts or remove his guilt.
Payne admitted being in the apartment and having his hand on the knife in Charisse Christopher’s neck
His hat was found intertwined on the dead two-year-old baby’s arm
Three beer cans with Payne’s fingerprints were found in the apartment
His own testimony eliminates the possibility of an alternative suspect
Payne claimed he entered the victim’s apartment when he heard the baby cry
The medical examiner said the baby’s stab wounds would have been rapidly fatal
Thus, Payne would have encountered the killer when he approached the apartment
A resident who heard screams from the apartment called police
A nearby officer responded in two minutes and saw Payne running down the stairs
The officer said Payne appeared to be “sweating blood”
There was no time for an unidentified intruder to commit the murders and escape undetected ahead of Payne
Payne ran from police, but was arrested later hiding in an attic
The Tennessee Supreme Court called Payne’s self-serving testimony “unbelievable and contrary to human conduct and experience.”
Pervis Payne’s guilt does not rest on DNA. Unknown DNA does not erase the many incriminating facts or remove his guilt.
Order Dismissing “Petition for Post-Conviction DNA Analysis”
Governor Approves Reward Offer In Teen’s Homicide in North Memphis
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has approved a request by Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich to offer a cash reward for information to help solve the 2019 murder of 13-year-old Demonte Johnson.
Jan. 7, 2021 – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has approved a request by Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich to offer a cash reward for information to help solve the 2019 murder of 13-year-old Demonte Johnson.
The $15,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder.
The young teen was found shot on Dec. 6, 2019, in the 800 block of Looney Avenue near Leath Street in North Memphis. He was taken to Regional One Hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Anyone with information is urged to call Memphis Police Homicide at 901-636-3300 or CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.
Midtown Nightspot Closed Again
A Midtown nightspot that was closed temporarily in September of 2019 as a public nuisance was closed again Wednesday for violating a consent agreement to address violations, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Jan. 6, 2021 – A Midtown nightspot that was closed temporarily in September of 2019 as a public nuisance was closed again Wednesday for violating a consent agreement to address violations, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Printers Alley Bar and Grill at 322 S. Cleveland St. was allowed to reopen in December of 2019 after agreeing to a dozen corrective conditions, including having a full time security officer, staying accessible to police, and limiting hours of operation to 7 p.m. to 3:15 a.m.
On New Year’s Day between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. last week, however, police responding to a complaint said they found cars parked in front of the bar and heard music and multiple voices coming from inside.
They knocked on the door, but not one responded, and both the front and back doors of the establishment were locked, police reported. There also was no security guard on the premises and windows were covered by curtains.
The club will remain closed pending a hearing at 10 a.m. Tuesday before Environmental Court Judge Patrick Dandridge. The case is being handled by Asst. Dist. Atty. Paul Hagerman and Asst. City Atty. Will Gibbons.
The 2019 closing came because of dozens of reports to police regarding drug trafficking, assaults, burglaries and weapons from 2015 to 2018. The establishment also stayed open nearly around the clock and drew numerous complaints from nearby residents.
No Criminal Charges in Collierville Shooting
A Collierville police officer who fatally shot a homeowner armed with a handgun last year will face no criminal charges, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Dec. 29, 2020 – A Collierville police officer who fatally shot a homeowner armed with a handgun last year will face no criminal charges, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Officers were called to the residence of David Hoal, 59, on June 3, 2019, on Valleywood Cove where his wife said he was distraught, threatening suicide and armed with a handgun. When officers arrived, he was in the backyard, with his wife a short distance away.
Officers said he had his finger on the trigger and that he was holding the gun in “a low ready position,” halfway between level to the ground and pointed at the ground. When he ignored commands to drop the gun, one officer fired his rifle, striking Hoal in the chest and killing him.
The officer said he feared for the safety of Hoal’s wife and for that of the other officers.
“Officers are not required to wait until they or others are shot at by an armed suspect,” said Dist. Atty. Weirich. “In this case, Mrs. Hoal was ‘in close proximity’ to her husband and could have been shot in a split second if he had chosen to do so. Instead, the officer made an on-the-spot decision to fire first when Hoal refused to drop his weapon.”
She said that after considering all of the circumstances and all available defenses, there is no criminal charge that can be brought against the officer involved in this shooting for which the facts would support a reasonable likelihood of conviction.
The decision does not consider or address law-enforcement policies, procedures, disciplinary action or training requirements, nor does it address civil liability. The decision considers only state criminal law.
According to procedure, Dist. Atty. Weirich based her decision on an investigative report compiled by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The report was reviewed by the DA’s Officer Involved Death Review Team that includes Dist. Atty. Weirich and five experienced homicide prosecutors.
That report – and a PowerPoint summary by DA Weirich – now is posted at https://www.scdag.com/officer-involved-deaths. Redactions have been made in accordance with Tennessee law and privacy standards.
Deputy Acted in Self Defense in Fatal Shooting
A sheriff’s deputy acted in self-defense when he shot and killed a sexual-assault suspect who had stabbed him in the arm following a foot chase last summer near 201 Poplar, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Dec. 18, 2020 – A sheriff’s deputy acted in self-defense when he shot and killed a sexual-assault suspect who had stabbed him in the arm following a foot chase last year near 201 Poplar, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
The suspect, 49-year-old James Kirkwood, led the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputy on a chase after a woman said Kirkwood had sexually assaulted her while she was paying at a parking meter around 10 a.m. on Aug. 5 last year.
During the chase through an alleyway and a parking lot just north of the Criminal Justice Center, a parking lot attendant warned the deputy that Kirkwood had a knife.
When the deputy caught up with Kirkwood on North 4th Street, he tried to subdue Kirkwood with pepper-spray. Kirkwood responded by attacking the deputy with a knife, slashing him on the left arm. The deputy then pulled his firearm and shot Kirkwood, striking him seven times.
The incident was captured on video surveillance from a nearby business.
“The deputy had already sustained serious bodily injury, and it is reasonable to believe he faced further injury had he not acted to protect himself,” said DA Weirich, who asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to investigate.
The TBI report now is posted at https://www.scdag.com/officer-involved-deaths. Redactions have been made in accordance with the law and privacy standards.
Teen Indicted in 2018 Robbery, Homicide
An East Memphis teen was indicted Thursday in the robbery and shooting death of an acquaintance in 2018, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Dec. 18, 2020 – An East Memphis teen was indicted Thursday in the robbery and shooting death of an acquaintance in 2018, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Defendant Dakarian Arnett, now 18, was indicted on first-degree murder and murder in the perpetration of a robbery, He was 16 at the time of the incident.
On Sept. 23, 2018, police were called to the intersection of Kaye Road and White Station Road in East Memphis where they found 20-year-old Jerald Holiday Jr. unresponsive in the roadway and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators determined that the victim had met up with Arnett that evening to sell a firearm. Instead, evidence indicated that Arnett shot Holiday and stole his car, which was recovered the following day several blocks away with blood inside.
Arnett was arrested in April of 2019.
The case is being handled by Asst. Dist. Atty. Nicole Germain of the District Attorney’s Crime Strategies & Narcotics Prosecution Unit which incorporates and expands the work of the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, the Organized Crime Unit, Project Safe Neighborhoods/GunDone, GunStat, the Safe Streets Task Force, and the Violent Crime Unit.
Whitehaven Man Indicted in Woman’s Death
A Whitehaven man has been indicted in the shooting death this summer of a teen-aged Arkansas woman he allegedly had been trafficking for commercial sex acts, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Dec. 16, 2020 – A Whitehaven man has been indicted in the shooting death this summer of a teen-aged Arkansas woman he allegedly had been trafficking for commercial sex acts, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
A grand jury Tuesday indicted Robert J. Holmes, 31, on felony counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, trafficking for commercial sex acts, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony.
He is being held in the Shelby County Jail.
Holmes was arrested on June 23 after the body of 19-year-old Jareesa Porchia of Camden, Ark., was found in a ditch on Old Getwell Road just south of Knight Arnold Road.
Investigators said Holmes shot her in a van that evening and then disposed of her body in the ditch. They said that for several months Holmes had been collecting money from the victim after arranging encounters in which she performed sex acts for money.
The case is being handled by Felony Assts. Stacy McEndree and Paige Munn of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 6 which prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 15 and in Criminal Court Division 10.
Man Indicted in Multiple-Victim Shooting
A 29-year-old man was indicted Tuesday on first-degree murder and other felony counts for allegedly shooting into a parked vehicle with three adults and three young children inside, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Dec. 15, 2020 – A 29-year-old man was indicted Tuesday on first-degree murder and other felony counts for allegedly shooting into a parked vehicle with three adults and three young children inside, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
In addition to the murder count, the grand jury indicted Khiry Turner on two counts each of attempted first-degree murder and employment of a firearm with intent to commit a dangerous felony, and one count of reckless endangerment.
The incident occurred shortly before 8 p.m. on Sept. 20 this year on the parking lot of a service station at East Shelby Drive and Hodge Road near Westhaven Elementary School.
Investigators said Turner drove up and parked near the service station, walked over to another vehicle, said something to the driver, and began firing a handgun. The driver, Nechoe Lucas, 32, was struck in the head and died.
A 32-year-old woman in the front seat was critically injured with a gunshot to the stomach, and a man in the backseat, age 30, was wounded in the hand. Three children in the backseat – ages 3, 2 and 7 months – were not injured.
Turner was identified as a suspect in the shootings and was arrested on a warrant six days later by Leflore County Sheriff’s deputies near Greenwood, Miss.
The case is being handled by Felony Asst. Stacy McEndree of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 6 which prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 15 and Criminal Court Division 10.
Officers Justified in Whitehaven Shooting
Memphis police officers acted within the law when they fatally shot a 20-year-old man last year in Whitehaven as he ran at one officer while holding a knife, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
Dec. 14, 2020 – Memphis police officers acted within the law when they fatally shot a 20-year-old man last year in Whitehaven as he ran at one officer while holding a knife, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
The shooting of Abdoulaye Thiam on the night of Jan. 2, 2019, outside his home at 1317 Timothy Drive was recorded on the officers’ body-worn cameras.
Police were called to the address from someone inside the house who said there was a disturbance. When officers arrived, Thiam was in the front yard holding a knife, and would not respond to their orders to drop it.
Instead, Thiam ran toward one officer, holding the knife in his hand. Three of the four officers fired shots, including one officer who was retreating to avoid being stabbed. Thiam was struck four times and was pronounced dead at the scene.
DA Weirich said officers were justified in using deadly force because Thiam “posed a threat of serious bodily injury” to one or more officers. She said the man’s actions left officers with no other alternative.
According to procedure, the incident was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. That report – and a PowerPoint summary by DA Weirich – now is posted at https://www.scdag.com/officer-involved-deaths.
Redactions have been made in accordance with Tennessee law and privacy standards.