In the small town of Morganfield, Kentucky, the life of 28-year-old George Black Jr. was tragically cut short on the afternoon of Friday, January 20, 2017. A former basketball player for Union County High School, he was known for his love of sports, video games, and dancing his way through life. Those who knew him said he always put his family first and was deeply loved by many.
The events that led to his death unfolded around 4 p.m. inside a residence at 625-B West O'Bannon Street.
Black and another man, 33-year-old Caesarrae Rapier, were in the living room when gunfire erupted, and both men were shot multiple times. A harrowing account of the incident came from Rapier's wife, who was in a bathroom when she heard the shots. Upon entering the living room, 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 investigation into the double homicide quickly led to the identification and arrest of several suspects. Keyontea McGuire of Morganfield, Joevionte C. Sims, 22, from Centralia, Illinois, and Clarence L. Smith III, 21, from Danville, Illinois, were apprehended and charged with murder. The suspects were located after a vehicle matching a description given by Rapier's wife was spotted in the nearby city of Henderson. The red car with Illinois license plates was abandoned at South Heights Elementary School, and the suspects attempted to flee on foot. Smith and Sims were captured near the school's playground. Inside the abandoned vehicle, police found a gun in plain view, and a fired bullet casing was later discovered in Sims' shoe during booking.
The legal proceedings continued to unfold over a year later. In September 2018, a Union County grand jury indicted another individual, Breshod Everhart, on two counts of murder by complicity. Evidence presented suggested that Everhart had been present at the scene of the crime, with physical evidence linking him to the shootings. The suspects reportedly told investigators they had gone to the residence to buy marijuana when the shooting started.
