In the early hours of December 6, 2021, a tragic sequence of events unfolded in Memphis, Tennessee, culminating in the death of 30-year-old Kenya Baskin. An African American female, Baskin was a young mother whose life was cut short by an act of domestic violence. The ordeal began shortly after midnight when her ex-boyfriend, Corey Lurry, 27, forced his way into her residence on Douglass Street.
Inside the home, Lurry began to physically assault Baskin.
Her friend, 30-year-old Jeramy Edwards, attempted to intervene to protect her but was overcome. Lurry then dragged Baskin outside, punched her in the face, and threatened her life as he tried to force her into the trunk of his car. The initial terrifying encounter ended when Lurry fled the scene after Baskin told him she was calling the police.
Tragically, the reprieve was only temporary. About five hours after the initial assault, police received multiple calls about shots being fired in the vicinity of Baskin's home. Then, at approximately 8:15 a.m., police were called back to the residence. There, they discovered a grim scene. Kenya Baskin was found deceased in the driver's seat of her car in the driveway, and Jeramy Edwards was found on the ground near the vehicle. Both had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Corey Lurry was identified as the suspect and was taken into custody shortly after the discovery of the bodies. In January 2022, a grand jury indicted Lurry on two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Baskin and Edwards. He also faced charges of aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, domestic assault, and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Lurry is being held without bond. The case is being handled by the Shelby County District Attorney's Special Prosecution Unit, which focuses on seeking maximum sentences for repeat felony offenders.
