In the spring of 2019, the life of a young Black / African American man, Charlie Easley, was tragically cut short at the age of 19. On the evening of April 8th, in Nashville, Tennessee, Easley was found lying in the street near his home at the Point Breeze Apartments on Lemont Drive, having been shot multiple times. The initial investigation into his death pointed towards a targeted act of violence, leaving a community searching for answers.
The investigation quickly led authorities to
two teenage suspects. On April 17, 2019, just over a week after the shooting, Metro Nashville Police charged 17-year-old Morris Marsh with the murder of Charlie Easley. As the case against Marsh was developing, police also sought the public's help in locating a second teenager, 18-year-old Devion Jordan, who was 17 at the time of the homicide and was also wanted in connection with Easley's death.
A dramatic turn of events occurred in late November 2019, when Morris Marsh, along with three other teenagers, escaped from the Davidson County Juvenile Justice Center. The four were on a work detail when their supervisor left them unattended to break up a fight elsewhere in the facility. Taking advantage of the lapse in supervision, the teens managed to access an elevator, ride it to the ground floor, and exit the building. Their absence went unnoticed for approximately 35 minutes, giving them a significant head start.
The escape triggered a widespread manhunt. Morris Marsh was eventually apprehended on December 6, 2019, following a police pursuit that ended at a gas station on Harding Place. His brother, Rashon Keesee, who was driving the rental car Marsh was a passenger in, was also arrested. Their mother, Tewanna Keesee, was taken into custody at the gas station as well. Both were charged with being accessories after the fact for allegedly knowing Marsh's whereabouts and not contacting the authorities.
Ultimately, Morris Marsh faced justice for his role in the death of Charlie Easley. The case, which was filed in 2020, concluded on September 28, 2023. Marsh, who was born in March 2002, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. He received a sentence of 17 years in the Tennessee Department of Correction for the killing. In a separate case for his escape from the juvenile facility, Marsh also pleaded guilty to felony escape and was sentenced to one year in prison, to be served concurrently with his murder sentence.
