In the small town of Morganfield, Kentucky, a tragedy unfolded on January 20, 2017, that cut short the life of 33-year-old Caesarrae Rapier. A beloved family man, known affectionately as 'Chaz,' he was a husband of ten years and a devoted father to two sons. Those who knew him remembered a man with a passion for life, who enjoyed fishing, coaching, working out, and playing games with his boys.
He was described as a beautiful soul with a hunger for knowledge, who sought redemption and equality in his life.
The day's events took a dark turn inside a residence at 625-B West O'Bannon Street. It was there that Rapier and another man, 28-year-old George Black Jr., were shot multiple times in the living room. According to Rapier's wife, who was in the bathroom at the time, she heard gunshots and emerged to a horrifying scene. She witnessed a man with dreadlocks pointing a gun at her before he turned and shot Rapier in the back of the head as he lay on the floor. The suspects claimed they were at the location to purchase marijuana when the shooting began.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly led to the identification and arrest of several suspects. Authorities apprehended Keyontea McGuire of Morganfield, 22-year-old Joevionte C. Sims from Centralia, Illinois, and 21-year-old Clarence L. Smith III from Danville, Illinois, shortly after the incident. The suspects were located after a vehicle matching the description provided by Rapier's wife was spotted in Henderson. A chase ensued, ending with the suspects abandoning the vehicle and attempting to flee on foot near an elementary school. Smith and Sims were captured near the school's playground, and a gun was found in their vehicle. McGuire was also taken into custody on the night of the murders. The charges against the men included murder, wanton endangerment, and fleeing from police.
As the legal proceedings unfolded, another individual was implicated in the crime. In September 2018, a Union County grand jury indicted Breshod Everhart on two counts of murder by complicity in the deaths of Rapier and Black. Evidence presented suggested that Everhart was present at the scene of the crime, with physical evidence linking him to the shootings. The arrests brought some measure of justice to a community shaken by the violent loss of two of its own.
