In the early morning hours of June 24, 2015, a violent incident in Mount Vernon, New York, claimed the life of 27-year-old Allashun Clay. Clay was behind the wheel of a BMW convertible, with 26-year-old Kevin Shaw in the passenger seat, when the vehicle crashed at the intersection of East Third Street and Warwick Avenue. The force of the collision was significant, causing the car to flip over after striking a parked SUV.
Both Clay and Shaw were pronounced dead at the scene.
What initially may have appeared to be a tragic car accident quickly turned into a double homicide investigation. Upon examining the victims, authorities discovered that both Allashun Clay and Kevin Shaw had sustained gunshot wounds. This finding shifted the focus of the investigation, with police believing the two men were targeted in a deliberate act of violence. The central question for investigators became whether the gunshots or the crash were the ultimate cause of death, a detail the medical examiner was tasked with determining.
In the course of their investigation, Mount Vernon police explored several theories. One prominent theory was that a third individual was present in the car with Clay and Shaw. It is believed this person shot both men before exiting the moving vehicle just before it crashed. This theory suggested a close-range attack and a brazen escape. Authorities gathered surveillance footage from a nearby deli that showed the BMW traveling at a high rate of speed shortly before the crash, adding to the complex timeline of events.
In the hours leading up to their deaths, Clay and Shaw had reportedly been at a local strip club, Sue's Rendezvous, for a music release party. Investigators looked into their activities that night, considering the possibility that the events that led to their deaths may have originated at the club, a location with a history of violent incidents. Despite their efforts to piece together the events of that fateful night and canvas the area for witnesses and additional surveillance, the investigation did not lead to any immediate arrests. The case of the deaths of Allashun Clay and Kevin Shaw has remained a chilling and unsolved double homicide, leaving their families and the community searching for answers and justice.
