In the late summer of 2015, a shadow fell over a family in Pearl, Mississippi, when eighty-year-old Lee Kendrick did not return home on the evening of August 31st. His absence was deeply felt, particularly by his wife who depended on his care. The following day, his daughter reported him missing to the police, sparking a search that would end in tragedy.
Two days later, on September 2, 2015, the search for Mr. Kendrick came to a grim conclusion.
His body was discovered in a vacant and squalid apartment at the Cedarstone Apartments in Jackson. He had been shot once in the back of the head. Investigators noted the peculiar scene: his cell phone, watch, and glasses were found neatly placed in his shoes near his body, along with his folded shirt.
The investigation into the death of Lee Kendrick soon focused on two individuals, Loren Shell-Blackwell and Walter Lee Young. It was revealed that Mr. Kendrick had a connection to Blackwell, who was an admitted prostitute. Evidence presented during legal proceedings suggested a sordid tale of exploitation and violence. Bank surveillance footage showed Mr. Kendrick at a bank on the afternoon of August 31, 2015. Later, Blackwell was seen in a convenience store video driving Mr. Kendrick's car after his murder. The vehicle was eventually found abandoned in another county.
Walter Lee Young, who was also implicated, turned himself in to the Jackson Police Department on September 8, 2015. Initially, he denied any involvement, but he later became a key witness for the prosecution during Loren Shell-Blackwell's trial. Young testified that he witnessed Blackwell shoot Kendrick. In a five-day trial in the Hinds County Circuit Court, a jury found Loren Shell-Blackwell guilty of capital murder and automobile theft. For the murder conviction, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
