A three-fold Jackson shooting case from 2019 came to a close last Wednesday when Keenan Antonio Murphy was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on three first-degree murder charges.
The office of District Attorney Jody Pickens, 26th Judicial District, issued a statement on Monday afternoon about the Jackson resident.
On September 25, 2019, the Jackson Police Department responded to a crash at the intersection of Middleton Street and Neff Street. The driver, who was found to be unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the back of the head, had crashed into the sidewalk and embankment.
Before eventually succumbing to his injuries, a second victim with similar gunshot wounds later identified Murphy as the assailant after fleeing from the vehicle. Murphy was unable to be immediately located in the area following the incident.
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On October 4, 2019 JPD responded to an almost identical shooting in the area of Wyndelake Cove. Officers found the driver of a white Crown Victoria unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the back of the head. The second victim had gunshot wounds to the back, survived, and provided a description of Murphy to authorities.
Murphy was taken into custody later that morning when officers found him walking near the corner of North Highland Avenue and Humboldt Road.
Murphy admitted to being responsible for both shootings and said he shot the victims from the back seat of a car, an execution that matched the victim's description of events. Forensic firearms evidence also indicated that the same weapon was used in both shootings.
The Madison County Grand Jury returned an indictment for Murphy on June 1, 2020. In each of the separate cases, he was charged with:
- First Degree Murder
- Attempted First Degree Murder
- Aggravated Assault
- Employing a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony.
A concerned citizen's call
More than a year after Murphy was indicted, a concerned citizen called JPD on August 29, 2021 to report a submerged vehicle in the Howeston Mill Subdivision's pond.
The dive team that recovered the vehicle discovered the remains inside of a young male, who had previously been reported missing by his mother on September 28, 2019.
The last person to be seen with the victim was Murphy as the two left in the victim's car from the Greenview Drive residence. After not hearing from her son for more than 24 hours, she filed a missing persons report with JPD.
Multiple .40 caliber shell casings were also found inside the submerged vehicle and, per firearm forensics, were later confirmed to have been fired from Murphy's weapon.
Life without parole
During his trial in December 2021, an expert testimony detailed that Murphy, who claimed "diminished capacity," was suffering from a "manic episode" at the time of the September 2019 shooting and could not premeditate the murder.
On December 17, 2021, he was convicted on all counts.
On February 23, 2023, he was sentenced to life in prison for the victim, who succumbed to his injuries with an additional consecutive 26 years for the attempted murder of the second victim.
Five days later, Murphy was indicted for the First Degree Murder of the missing male.
Justice was decided for the final time on May 29, 2024 when Murphy entered a plea deal for the remaining indictments. He was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here .
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Jackson man sentenced to life without parole for three murders in 2019
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