On Christmas Eve of 2021, a joyous night turned into a nightmare that ended the life of 40-year-old Quincy Kemp, a male resident of Mobile, Alabama. What was supposed to be a time of celebration became a scene of a violent and premeditated ambush born from jealousy. Kemp was at his home with his girlfriend, Shanda Avery, when her ex-husband, Murice Sashington, broke in and laid in wait for the couple to return.
Driven by what prosecutors would later describe as a fit of rage and jealousy
over his ex-wife's new relationship, Sashington attacked the couple when they arrived. He opened fire, shooting both Kemp and Avery multiple times. Quincy Kemp died from his injuries, which included gunshot wounds to the head and chest. Avery was critically wounded but survived the horrific assault. The violence did not end there; the following day, on Christmas, Kemp's home was set on fire, an act his family believed was connected to the previous night's tragedy.
In the wake of the brutal crime, Murice Sashington fled, sparking a multi-state manhunt that lasted for several months. Law enforcement, including the FBI, tracked him across the country. He was eventually located and apprehended in Nevada in May 2022 and extradited back to Mobile County to face justice. His capture brought a sense of relief to the victims' families, who had been pleading for his arrest.
Murice Sashington was charged with capital murder for the death of Quincy Kemp and attempted murder for the shooting of Shanda Avery. During the trial, the court heard how Sashington had stalked his ex-wife before the attack. A Mobile County jury found him guilty of both charges. For the capital murder conviction, Sashington was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He also faced a lengthy sentence of 20 to 99 years for the attempted murder charge, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life behind bars.
