On a cold December night in 2016, the life of 18-year-old Ashlynn Marissa Sparks, a female from McCalla, was tragically cut short in Lipscomb, Alabama. She and her boyfriend were sitting in a car on Circle Drive when they were ambushed in what authorities believe was an attempted robbery. In an attempt to flee, her boyfriend tried to drive away, but shots were fired into the vehicle, striking them both.
They managed to get to a convenience store in Bessemer where they were found suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were rushed to a local hospital, where Ashlynn succumbed to her injuries. Her boyfriend survived the attack.
The investigation into the senseless violence that claimed Ashlynn's life was a collaborative effort between the Lipscomb Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Through witness interviews and a review of the evidence, investigators were able to identify a suspect. This initial breakthrough led to the arrest of 20-year-old Anthony Dewayne Smith of Fairfield, who was charged with capital murder. The authorities indicated that they were seeking at least one other individual in connection with the fatal shooting.
Further investigation led to more arrests in the case, bringing a total of four individuals to face charges for their alleged roles in the crime. Adam Decoreyea Smith, 23, of Bessemer, Richard Steven Martinez, 20, of Lipscomb, and Courtney Brianna Devaughn, 22, of Center Point, were all taken into custody. Each of them faced charges of capital murder and attempted murder for their involvement in the robbery that led to Ashlynn Sparks' death and the wounding of her boyfriend. The arrests brought some measure of solace to a grieving family and community, who remembered Ashlynn as a giving and loving person with a kind soul.
