A man who went on a deadly rampage through Memphis, killing three people and livestreaming the carnage, cried in court as he asked for forgiveness.
Ezekiel Kelly, 22, pleaded guilty to 28 criminal charges on Wednesday and was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without parole, plus 221 years in prison. Kelly was charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder, among other offenses, following a violent crime spree that began after midnight on September 7, 2022. After shooting his first victim, Dewayne Tunstall, at a friend’s house, Kelly went on to commit two more murders and carjackings while an online audience watched in horror.
Kelly, who was 19 years old at the time of the crime, appeared emotional during his sentencing and spoke during the hearing. According to local CBS affiliate WREG, Kelly told the court, “There’s nothing I can say to bring anyone’s family back, but we’ve all got to live with it.” He added, “I was in the darkest place of my life when this occurred,” and “I sincerely apologize to the victims’ families.” I hope one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Aubrey Miller, a relative of one of Kelly’s victims, confronted him directly, saying, “You have lost yourself. The only way to discover yourself is through God.”
Kelly, who smiled broadly in his 2022 mug shot, wept openly in court during Miller’s statement.
In addition to Tunstall, Kelly shot and killed Allison Parker, a mother of three who worked as a medical assistant, and Richard Clark, a retired correctional officer who worked campus security. Kelly’s spree left behind three survivors: LaKesha McGlathen, Rodolfo Zepeda, and Randall Graham.
Kelly’s victims and their families approved the plea deal, which eliminated the possibility of the death penalty.
The events of that fateful evening occurred in the early morning hours, prompting police to issue a “stay-in-place” warning to Memphis residents while they searched for Kelly. As previously reported by Law&Crime, Kelly livestreamed some of the events on Facebook Live. Meta informed Law&Crime at the time that they were “working closely with law enforcement” and had “identified and removed the Live content prior to the Memphis Police Department’s initial public alert.”
Kelly was apprehended at 9:20 p.m. on September 7, hours after carrying out the mass shooting, two carjackings, and the high-speed police chase that ended his day-long crime spree. He initially pleaded not guilty before changing his plea on Wednesday.
District Attorney Steve Mulroy said in a statement following the sentencing, “This plea brings justice by ensuring he will never be free, while also respecting what many victims have said—they are ready to move forward.” This plea provides families with certainty and finality, as they approve of the settlement and are ready to move on from the litigation. It prevents years, if not decades, of appeals. Most importantly, it ensures that the defendant who terrorized our entire city will never see the light of day.”
