On a summer evening in Covington, Kentucky, the life of 24-year-old Lazuri Collins was tragically cut short. On Saturday, July 29, 2017, Collins was behind the wheel of her Toyota Camry at the intersection of 13th and Wheeler Streets in the Eastside community when a gunman opened fire. A bullet struck her in the head, inflicting a fatal wound. In the backseat, her father, Antonio Collins, was also hit by the gunfire but survived his serious injuries.
Witnesses at the scene described seeing a hooded figure flee on foot, but the suspect vanished before police could arrive.
For more than two years, the investigation into Collins' murder continued, hampered by a lack of cooperation from the numerous people present on the crowded street corner at the time of the shooting. Despite the public nature of the crime, no one came forward to identify the gunman. Covington Police detectives persevered, eventually gathering enough evidence to present to a Kenton County Grand Jury. Their investigation was aided by a breakthrough when an individual who was present at the shooting was arrested on an unrelated matter and began to cooperate with the police. This witness identified the shooter as Jermaine Lamont Beamon. Another inmate also testified that Beamon had admitted to the killing.
In November 2019, Jermaine Lamont Beamon, then 27 years old, was indicted for the murder of Lazuri Collins and the first-degree assault of her father. At the time of the indictment, Beamon was incarcerated in Butler County, Ohio, on an unrelated sentence. He was later extradited to Kentucky to face the charges. Investigators believe the motive for the shooting stemmed from a dispute Beamon had with Collins' boyfriend. After his trial, a Kenton County jury convicted Beamon of both charges. In November 2021, he was sentenced to 70 years in prison, bringing a long-awaited measure of justice to the family of Lazuri Collins.
