In the winter of 2014, the life of a young Black / African American man, 23-year-old Monte Watson, was tragically cut short in Nashville, Tennessee. On the evening of December 3rd, Watson was fatally shot near the intersection of Lewis and Robertson Streets, in close proximity to the J.C. Napier housing development. His death was not a random act of violence but a calculated effort to silence a witness.
The events leading to Watson's murder began a week earlier, on November 26, 2014,
with the robbery and murder of Brendon Leggs at a market near the same neighborhood. Two individuals, Terrance Kimbrough and Calvin Starks, approached Leggs as he sat in his car, demanding drugs and money. When Leggs attempted to drive away, Kimbrough and Starks opened fire, killing him. It is believed that Monte Watson witnessed this crime, a fact that would ultimately seal his fate.
Fearing that Watson would go to the police, Kimbrough and others began a desperate search for him. In a recorded jail phone call on December 1, 2014, after being arrested on an unrelated charge, Calvin Starks referred to Watson as a "snitch" and discussed the need to find and silence him. Two days later, the manhunt came to a grim conclusion when Kimbrough and a juvenile accomplice located and fatally shot Monte Watson.
The investigation into Watson's death and the related crimes led to the arrests of several individuals. Terrance Kimbrough, identified as one of the shooters, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of using a firearm to commit a crime of violence resulting in death. He was sentenced to 42 years in federal prison for his role in the violent crime spree. Calvin Starks was also held accountable for his part in the events and received a 35-year prison sentence in August 2017. Others connected to the broader case, Darryl Starks and Ivy Starks, also faced legal consequences for their actions.
