On a Sunday afternoon, October 20, 2019, the life of 25-year-old Black / African American male ZeAndre Marjuan Paul Zachary was cut short in a shooting behind a Kroger grocery store on Wall Triana Highway in Madison, Alabama. Originally from Huntsville, Zachary had been living in Florida before the incident. Madison Police responded to a call around 4:00 p.m. about a person with a gunshot wound in the rear parking area of the store.
Upon arrival, they found Zachary, who was then transported to Huntsville Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Zachary's death quickly identified a suspect: 21-year-old Spencer Xzavier Holden of Madison. Police determined that Zachary and Holden were acquaintances and described the shooting as an isolated incident, assuring the public there was no immediate danger. A warrant for Holden's arrest was issued on October 22, 2019. The case took a turn the following day when Holden was located in a hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He had reportedly taken a cab to the hospital. Chattanooga Police alerted authorities in Madison, and Holden was placed under guard while receiving medical treatment.
Initially indicted on a murder charge, Spencer Xavier Holden later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in a deal that resulted in a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. This outcome was met with anguish by Zachary's mother, who stated that the district attorney's office did not inform her of the plea deal. The Madison County District Attorney's office maintained that they followed protocol and kept the family updated. Following the plea deal, Holden was allowed to remain out on bond to finish a college class before beginning his sentence.
