Among the many sad and shocking criminal cases, the story of Bryce Rhodes is an upsetting one because of the extreme violence and cruelty involved.
Bryce Rhodes, who was called "pure evil" by the police, got a life sentence from a Kentucky judge for his part in three terrible murders.
Rhodes, who is 33, was finally held responsible in 2024, nearly ten years after the terrible events of 2016.
The case involves the murders of three people: Christopher Jones, a 40-year-old man who was wrongly targeted; and two teenage brothers, Maurice Gordon, 16, and Larry Ordway, 14, who saw the murders happen.
Rhodes' actions not only caused the deaths of these people but also brought a lot of pain to their families.
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| The victims |
The Crime: A Brutal Series of Events
According to prosecutors, Rhodes believed there was a hit out on a local man.
He then recruited several teenage boys, including Maurice and Larry, to help with the job and promised to share some of the money he would get from the hit.
But instead of going after his supposed target, Rhodes ended up shooting Christopher Jones in a drive-by shooting.
Sadly, Jones was just an innocent bystander who had nothing to do with Rhodes' misguided plans.
The horror did not end there.
When Rhodes found out that Maurice and Larry had seen the crime and told their mother, he decided to kill them too.
The two brothers were later found mutilated and burned in the backyard of an old, abandoned house.
This terrible act shocked even the most experienced investigators.
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| The brothers |
Legal Challenges and Controversies
The journey to justice for these crimes was filled with delays and legal issues.
Rhodes' case was delayed by many factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Rhodes' unpredictable behavior.
He dealt with several lawyers and even tried to escape from jail, which made his legal issues even more complicated.
Rhodes was also known for his disruptive behavior in court.
He even spat on one of his lawyers after the lawyer said he would no longer represent him.
His behavior also led to fights with other inmates and threats against court officials.
Witnesses from Rhodes’ gang, Anwan Carter and Ja'Cory Taylor, testified against him as part of their plea deals.
Their stories painted a terrifying picture of what happened that day.
Carter, who was just 15 at the time, explained how Rhodes forced the brothers into a bathroom and violently attacked them.
The testimony revealed that Maurice was repeatedly stabbed, and Larry was similarly attacked.
The violence described was both shocking and deeply upsetting.
In December, after a detailed and emotional trial, Rhodes was convicted on multiple charges, including murder and abuse of a corpse.
The jury's decision resulted in Rhodes being sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.
The death penalty was not an option because Rhodes had a documented mental illness and intellectual disability.
During the sentencing phase, victim impact statements were delivered, adding a deeply personal dimension to the case.
Larry and Maurice’s grandmother, Jackie Partee, made a heartfelt statement about how much she missed her grandchildren and how cruel their deaths were.
Her words showed the deep pain and sense of unfairness that the victims’ families felt.
Judge Julie Kalin, who handled the case, recognized how deeply tragic the situation was.
She talked about how deeply sad the case was, from the accidental killing of Christopher Jones to the heartbreaking deaths of the young brothers.
The judge highlighted how important the jury's role was in delivering justice and said she was pleased that the case had been resolved.
Bryce Rhodes will spend the rest of his life in prison.
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