Lexington mother gets probation in death of 2 year old son, plus other court updates
Court cases stemming from several deadly incidents in Central Kentucky have progressed this month, with defendants in major criminal cases receiving their prison sentences.
February’s court developments include a mother’s five year sentence related to the overdose death of her young child being probated, and a sentencing of two men charged in the 2016 deadly shooting of Caleb Hallett during a robbery.
Here are some updates for court cases covered by the Herald-Leader.
Lexington mother receives probation in overdose death of 2-year-old son
A Lexington woman originally charged with manslaughter in the death of her 2-year-old son has received a sentence of probation after she pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless homicide.
Alashia Brown, 25, was sentenced to five years in prison in Fayette Circuit Court on Feb. 22. Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Goodman suspended her sentence, and placed her on one year of probation. Brown previously faced a second-degree manslaughter charge before accepting the guilty plea deal, which reduced her sentence.
In November 2022, Brown was charged with murder and criminal abuse after her child died at a hospital from a fentanyl overdose. A few months later, a Fayette County grand jury downgraded her murder charge to manslaughter and dropped the criminal abuse charge.
Brown said she and her son were at someone else’s house when the incident occurred.
Brown said her and the child took a nap, and when she awoke the child was gone. Brown went to look for the child in the kitchen, where she found him unresponsive with a pill in his hand, according to previous court testimony.
The child was taken to a hospital, where he later died. The investigation into the child’s death is still ongoing.
Two men sentenced for 2016 murder of Caleb Hallett
A case dating back to 2016 was resolved in February with the sentencing of two men.
They were charged in the death of Caleb Hallet, who was 18 at the time he was shot and killed. The shooting was preceded by a botched robbery, according to prosecutors.
Christopher “Mason” Allen, 25, and Ricky Auxier, 24, pleaded guilty. Allen accepted a plea for murder and first-degree robbery. Two assault and robbery charges were dismissed as part of the deal. Allen was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 9.
Auxier pleaded guilty to a count of first-degree robbery and another count of second-degree robbery. He originally faced two counts of first-degree robbery, but a charge was amended as part of the deal. He was sentenced to 10 years.
Auxier and Allen were part of a group of five suspects who were involved in Hallett’s death. Testimony and evidence showed the suspects arranged a robbery at a University Avenue home because they believed a significant amount of narcotics were inside.
Two of the suspects, Marquess L. “Hector” Smith, 26, and Marique Q. Sturgis, 25, were both convicted for their involvement following a jury trial in November 2023.
The jury convicted Smith of murder, ruling he was either complicit or the principal actor in the offense. He was also convicted of complicity to second-degree assault and complicity to two counts of first-degree robbery.
Sturgis was found guilty of complicity to second-degree manslaughter, complicity to second-degree assault, complicity to first-degree robbery and complicity to evidence tampering. Sturgis and Smith are awaiting sentencing.
The fifth suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in January 2016.
Man who fatally shot through the floor pleads guilty to amended charges
A Lexington man arrested for murder in August 2022 after he fired a bullet through the floor of his apartment, killing his neighbor, entered a plea of guilty to amended charges Feb. 28.
Keith Denton, 29, was originally charged with murder, first degree wanton endangerment, tampering with physical evidence, three counts of violating a Kentucky protective order, two counts of receiving stolen firearms, methamphetamine trafficking and marijuana possession.
The shooting killed 38-year-old father Kadage Byishmo.
He accepted a deal to plead guilty to lesser charges which amended his murder charge to manslaughter, and five of his charges were dismissed altogether.
Denton testified he was packing in a hurry when he grabbed an assault rifle and accidentally fired it because the safety mechanism was not on. He told Fayette Circuit Judge Thomas Travis he was scared and left the apartment.
Travis asked where Denton got the gun, which prompted a long silence from Denton. He later said, “someone left it there,” but admitted he had known it was illegally obtained.
Denton faces a sentence range of five to 10 years and is scheduled for sentencing on April 4.
Couple sentenced for involvement in friend’s death, setting his body on fire
Two suspects charged with fatally shooting a man and and setting his body on fire in the trunk of a car were sentenced on Feb. 22.
Martae Shanks, 36, and 30-year-old Autumn Owens Shanks appeared before Fayette Circuit Judge Thomas Travis for their involvement in the death of Lazarus Parker, who was killed in 2021.
Investigation revealed that before his body was found, Parker had been shot in a Lexington residence on Dakota Street. An autopsy revealed he had a purple bullet lodged in him.
Martae Shanks was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Autumn Owens Shanks, his wife, was sentenced to six years.
Shanks and Owens pleaded guilty to multiple, amended counts of drug trafficking and possession, criminal mischief, complicity to abuse a corpse, and complicity to arson. At least four of Martae Shanks’ nine felony charges were amended to misdemeanors as part of his plea deal, according to court documents. He originally faced 70 years in prison, according to court testimony.
Shanks and Owens accepted plea deals in exchange for testimony against Cecil Thomas Russell, the only person charged with the murder of Parker. A jury found Russell not guilty of murder, but did convict him on charges of complicity to abuse a corpse, complicity to arson, evidence tampering and criminal mischief.
Russell’s sentencing is scheduled for April 4.
At the sentencing hearing, Parker’s mother, Dora Burgess, said justice was not served by the suspects’ taking a plea deal. She said the cases should have gone to trial.
“I am not satisfied with handling of my son’s death,” Burgess said. “Nobody was held responsible for my son’s murder.”
Martae Shanks and Autumn Owens Shanks spoke during the sentencing and apologized for their actions.
