MEMPHIS, Tenn. — UPDATE 4/9/2021 - (Shelby County District Attorney General News Release) - A Cordova man has been indicted on second-degree murder charges in the shooting death of a teen who he said was breaking into his vehicle last year, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
A grand jury indicted 23-year-old Alfred Kirkham III in the incident that occurred the evening of Oct. 12, 2020, outside his apartment on Arbor Bend Lane in Cordova. He is free on $150,000 bond.
Investigators said Kirkham told them he saw Eric Key, 15, breaking into his vehicle and that he confronted the teen and fired shots when he thought Key was reaching for a weapon in his waistband.
Key then fled and Kirkham chased him, firing more shots. Key was pronounced dead at the scene. No weapon was found on the teen.
The case is being handled by Asst. Dist. Atty. Robert Steele of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 4 which handles cases in General Sessions Division 12 and in Criminal Court Division 4.
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10/13/2021 - Memphis police have charged a 23-year-old man in the Monday's shooting death of a teenager in Cordova.
MPD responded to shooting in the 8000 block of Arbor Bend Lane around 9:00 p.m.
According to a police affidavit, when officers arrived on scene, they found 15-year-old Eric Key unresponsive. He had been shot multiple times.
The defendant, Alfred Kirkham, met officers as they arrived and told them that he caught Key breaking into his vehicle. Kirkham told officers, he pulled a gun when he confronted Key, firing shots at him.
Key was shot several more times as he ran from the scene.
A witness told officers, she heard the confrontation between Kirkham and Key, then heard several gun shots fired. She said she looked outside and saw Kirkham standing over Key.
Kirkham admitted to investigators he never saw Key with a weapon, but, said he thought Key was reaching for one, when he shot him. There was no weapon found on the scene, other than the gun used by Kirkham.
Kirkham has been charged with 2nd degree murder.
