Man convicted for capital murder of Jemison star athlete in 2021
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — A 23-year-old was convicted for the capital murder of a Mae Jemison High School basketball star in a Madison County courtroom on Friday.
Ke’Ondrey Devin McGuire was charged with killing Deu’nta Moore in a drive-by shooting on Ascent Trail in March 2021.
PRIOR REPORTING: Jury hears closing statements in murder trial of Mae Jemison athlete
The prosecution began calling witnesses Tuesday morning following brief opening statements from both parties. The first two witnesses called were law enforcement officers. One of those officers, Leah Henry, was the first officer on the scene the night of Moore’s death.
The prosecution then showed Henry’s body-worn camera footage to the jury. In the video, several people could be heard screaming, most distinctly Moore’s mother Brittany.
The grieving mother had a hard time reliving the last moments of her 17-year-old son’s life again Tuesday and had to be consoled in court.
After a brief lunch break, the prosecution called several of Moore’s friends to the witness stand. At least two of those witnesses testified Moore and the defendant had affiliations with two separate street crews, though they said Moore’s crew was made up of high school basketball players who had an interest in sports and fashion.
According to testimony, the two groups got into a fight outside of Moore’s house the night he died. The same witnesses testified they saw gunfire coming from a vehicle involved in the fight but did not know who fired the shots.
The final testimony took place Thursday morning, during which the defense asked an investigator questions about how evidence was gathered.
Closing statements began around 1:30 p.m. The jury began deliberations just before 4 p.m. The state began by showing cell phone video taken the night of the shooting. The video showed a fistfight that ended when shots were fired in the background.
Additional security video showed a car belonging to McGuire arriving at and leaving the area where the shooting took place. Bullet casings found at the scene matched the type and brand of ammunition McGuire had in both his car and bedroom. Investigators later found a suicide note at McGuire’s home.
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In their closing statement, the defense called the investigation “sloppy,” saying investigators failed to secure the crime scene and keep potential suspects from talking to their parents before speaking with officers.
Jury deliberation continued Friday morning, before jurors came to a verdict
McGuire, who ultimately pleaded not guilty to the capital murder charge, turned himself into police shortly after the shooting.
McGuire is facing a sentence of life without parole.
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