In what was initially believed to be a senseless act of violence, the shooting death of 35-year-old Alisha Stephens in a Lithonia, Georgia, Popeyes parking lot on October 22, 2018, unraveled into a complex story of a drug deal gone tragically wrong. Stephens, a mother of three, was in a Ford truck with her husband, Michael Dale LaVigne, when they were both shot multiple times.
While LaVigne was critically injured with seven gunshot wounds, Stephens succumbed to her injuries.
The initial narrative of a random attack quickly crumbled as investigators delved deeper into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. It was discovered that the couple had gone to the fast-food restaurant's parking lot on Panola Road to purchase methamphetamine. What was intended to be a straightforward transaction escalated into a violent and fatal confrontation. The investigation revealed that the drug deal was allegedly orchestrated by Juan Carlos Ortiz, a high-ranking member of the Latin Kings gang, from his prison cell where he was already serving time for armed robbery.
In the days following the shooting, police arrested 19-year-old Carlos Rodriguez and charged him with murder. As the investigation progressed, a surprising twist emerged when Alisha Stephens's own husband, Michael Dale LaVigne, was also implicated in her death. A grand jury indicted both LaVigne and Rodriguez, along with Ortiz, on a host of charges.
The charges against Rodriguez and Ortiz included malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and violation of street gang and terrorism prevention laws. LaVigne faced two counts of felony murder, conspiracy to violate the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, and firearm possession charges. The case highlighted the dangerous intersection of drug trafficking and gang violence, leading to a tragic outcome for the newlywed couple.
