Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirms Theodore man’s murder conviction

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. ( WKRG ) — The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction of a Theodore man for a 2019 murder, according to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.

47-year-old Sabronte Lashun Rhodes was convicted of the murder of Johnny Soekhies in the Mobile County Circuit Court on May 16, 2023.

Trial evidence showed that Soekhies was shot and killed in Mobile between 3 and 4 a.m. on Oct. 25, 2019.

A police investigation led to surveillance footage identifying Rhodes and his victim being involved in the murder.

Rhodes gave law enforcement officials four statements, and he admitted he sold methamphetamine on the dating app, Grindr. Rhodes also admitted he was with Soekhies before his death, but Rhodes attempted to blame Soekhies’ death on someone else.

DNA testing confirmed Soekhies’ DNA was found in the vehicle associated with Rhodes. Cellphone evidence also connected Rhodes to the crime.

According to Steve Marshall’s office, Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood’s office successfully prosecuted the case and obtained a guilty verdict.

Rhodes was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and he appealed the verdict to reverse his conviction.

The Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Division handled the appeals process and argued for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to affirm Rhodes’ conviction.

The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Rhodes’ conviction on Sept. 20.

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