In the summer of 2015, a violent encounter in a Hickory Hill apartment complex stairwell tragically cut short the life of 44-year-old Charles Reliford. On the evening of June 27th, Memphis police were called to the 6500 block of Greenwood off Mt. Moriah Road and Kirby Parkway, where they discovered a bloody Reliford suffering from a gunshot wound. Though conscious when officers arrived, he would succumb to his injuries two days later at the Regional Medical Center on June 29, 2015.
Before he lost consciousness, Reliford managed to provide a harrowing account of the events that led to his fatal injuries. He informed the police that he had been approached by a group of five men who, for reasons that remain unclear, began shooting at him. The assailants then fled the scene, leaving Reliford to be found in the apartment complex stairwell. His final words to the officers on the scene would prove to be a crucial starting point for their investigation into his senseless murder.
The investigation into the death of Charles Reliford led to the arrests of two young men. Dennis Bowdrey, who was 18 years old at the time, and 20-year-old Jamario Easley were both taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder. Witnesses were able to identify Bowdrey and Easley from photo lineups as the individuals responsible for the shooting. In a statement given to the authorities, Bowdrey admitted to striking Reliford with his fists and firing his weapon in the victim's direction. Following his arrest, Bowdrey was booked into the Shelby County Jail. A bond for Easley was set at $1 million, while Bowdrey’s was set at $500,000.
