CHARLESTON, W.Va. A Charleston man has been convicted on two counts of murder after being accused in a February 2024 Kanawha County fatal shooting.
The trial for Markus Guy, 32, of Charleston that started Monday wrapped up in Kanawha County Circuit Court Friday afternoon when the 12-member jury found Guy guilty on second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Alisha Brooke Carnefix, 39, and on first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Koda Bryson Jarrett, 14.
The jury also found Guy guilty on one charge of the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Kanawha County Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers has been presiding over the trial. She read off the jury’s verdict Friday.
“The jury form reads, “the the jury, find the defendant, Markus Guy guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, guilty of the second degree murder of Alisha Brooke Carnefix,” Akers read.
“Count three of felony indictment number 24F 175,”We the jury find the defendant, Markus Guy guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the first degree murder of Koda Bryson Jarrett,” Akers continued.
Since Guy has been convicted on first-degree murder, he could receive up to life in prison. In addition, he will receive between 15 to 40 years for the second-degree murder conviction.
The court expects to reconvene at 9 a.m. on Monday for the mercy phase of trial.
Guy was originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Evidence presented during the trial from expert witness testimonies before the 12-member jury proved that Guy had fatally shot Carnefix and Jarret at their St. Albans home on Feb 6, 2024.
He had claimed it was self defense, but prosecuting attorney Madison Tuck on Thursday said otherwise.
“People lie, science doesn’t,” Tuck said. “The story that the defendant Markus Guy got up here and demonstrated for you is impossible.”
Carnefix and Jarrett were the mother and brother of Guy’s girlfriend, Shelby Frazier who he was reportedly upset with the day their murders took place.
Frazier had said in her testimony that Guy didn’t tell her what he had done until he came back to pick her up at the Hampton Inn in Southridge where they were staying for her birthday.
She said she and a friend went to get more alcohol that day at the Southridge Walmart, and when she came back to the hotel room, Guy was gone.
Koda Bryson Jarrett and Alisha Brooke Carnefix
Guy had claimed to go collect his belongings from Carnefix’s home at 35 Sapphire Drive in St. Albans, because he was upset with Frazier for taking too long to return to the hotel room. He had been staying at the St. Albans home with Frazier while he was in the area during his break from work where he worked on a barge.
While he was packing up his stuff, Guy said Carnefix came into the room asking him where her daughter was. When he told her he didn’t know, she allegedly started attacking him by jumping on his back and attempting to use an object to choke him until the point he was losing consciousness.
Guy said Carnifix was intoxicated that day and her autopsy did corroborate with that claim as it showed a .196 blood alcohol content, but the prosecuting attorneys said that nearly all of the other evidence found during the investigation were inconsistent with Guy’s testimony, and forensic evidence showed there was no sign of a struggle from the victims.
After shooting Carnefix, Jarrett had then come into the room and Guy claimed he tried to take the gun from him, ensuing another struggle. Guy had said in his testimony Wednesday that he was worried Jarrett might try to shoot and kill him to avenge his mother’s death, prompting Guy to then shoot and kill Jarrett.
Evidence presented by the state Medical Examiners Office on Wed. Showed that Guy had shot Carnefix in the side of the head and the top of the head. It showed Jarrett was shot twice as well, once standing up and then again while he was down on the ground.