It was a tragically ordinary Tuesday morning on July 30, 2019, that turned into a scene of terror and loss at a Walmart in Southaven, Mississippi. Anthony Clay Brown, a 40-year-old store manager, was starting his workday, unaware of the violence that was about to unfold. A disgruntled former employee, 39-year-old Martez Tarrell Abram, who had been suspended days earlier after a dispute that involved him showing a knife to a coworker, returned to the store with a deadly plan.
In a senseless act of workplace violence, Abram opened fire, fatally shooting two of his former colleagues. Anthony Brown, a husband and father of two from Olive Branch, Mississippi, was one of the victims. His co-worker, 38-year-old Brandon Gales, was also killed in the attack. The violent rampage also included Abram setting a fire inside the store. The tragic event sent shockwaves through the community, leaving family, friends, and coworkers to grapple with the sudden and devastating loss of two men who were simply at their place of work.
The response from law enforcement was swift. Abram was confronted by police in the parking lot as he tried to flee the scene. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, a Southaven police officer was struck, but was saved by his bulletproof vest. Abram himself was shot twice by another officer and taken into custody, bringing his violent spree to an end. His arrest marked the beginning of a long road to justice for the families of Anthony Brown and Brandon Gales.
Martez Tarrell Abram was charged with two counts of capital murder for the deaths of Brown and Gales, and one count of attempted murder for shooting the police officer. His trial began in November 2022, where the jury heard testimony and saw evidence of the planned attack. Abram himself took the stand and admitted to the shootings. In December 2022, a DeSoto County jury found him guilty on all charges. Following the conviction, Abram was sentenced to death for the two counts of capital murder and life in prison for the attempted murder charge. His subsequent appeals were denied by the Mississippi Supreme Court, upholding the conviction and sentence.
