Vettia Rochem, a 43-year-old female, had recently relocated to Montgomery, Alabama, with her daughter, seeking a fresh start after losing nearly everything in a tornado. She found work as the night manager of a local Taco Bell, where she was known as a dedicated employee. Her life, however, came to a brutal and untimely end on the night of March 10, 2014, when she was the victim of a robbery and homicide at her place of work.
The investigation into her death revealed a grim betrayal.
Two of her own employees, 19-year-olds Kenneth Temple and Renauldous Chisholm, along with a third accomplice, Gacolby Green, were arrested and charged with capital murder. The trio had reportedly ambushed Rochem as she was leaving the restaurant at the end of her shift. Authorities stated that she was beaten with a tire iron and a car jack before being shot multiple times. Her body was discovered behind the restaurant the following morning by a cleaning crew. The motive for the heinous crime was determined to be robbery, as Rochem was in charge of the restaurant's bank deposits.
The legal process that followed brought a measure of justice for Vettia Rochem and her family. All three men faced the consequences of their actions. After a series of legal proceedings, the final suspect entered a guilty plea in November 2018 and was sentenced to life in prison, ensuring that all three individuals responsible for the violent death of Vettia Rochem would be held accountable for their crimes. One of the suspects had sought youthful offender status, but this was denied by the court.
