In the summer of 2016, a decision to recover a stolen vehicle turned fatal for a young Black man from Memphis, Tennessee. On the evening of July 30, 26-year-old Terralonce Stanford located his 1997 Infiniti, which had been stolen two weeks prior, at the Hickory Hills Apartments. He strategically used his pickup truck to block the stolen car and promptly called 911 to await the arrival of law enforcement.
While on the phone with emergency services, a harrowing turn of events unfolded.
Two men, later identified as Lacurtis Odom and Montrell Clark, emerged from an apartment and confronted Stanford. The situation escalated rapidly as Odom brandished a handgun and threatened him. Despite Stanford's audible pleas for his life, which were captured on the 911 recording, he was shot in the head and died at the scene.
Following the fatal shooting, Odom and Clark fled in the stolen Infiniti. The vehicle was later discovered burned on Horn Lake Road, near the Mississippi state line. The investigation into Stanford's murder led to the identification of Odom and Clark as the primary suspects, with warrants issued for their arrests. Witnesses were able to positively identify both men as the individuals who confronted and shot Stanford.
The pursuit of justice for Terralonce Stanford resulted in legal proceedings against the two men responsible for his death. Lacurtis Odom was subsequently convicted of first-degree murder. In addition to the murder charge, he was found guilty of attempted especially aggravated robbery, theft of property, and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. For his role in the murder, Odom was sentenced to life in prison. At the time of Odom's sentencing, the charges against the second suspect, Montrell Clark, were still pending.
