CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Charleston man convicted on two separate murder charges has been granted mercy.
The trial for Markus Deron Guy, 33, entered the mercy phase Monday.
Guy will now be considered eligible for parole after 15 years following the decision made by the 12-member jury in the trial.
On Friday, the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder and second-degree murder for shooting and killing Alisha Brooke Carnefix, 39, and Koda Bryson Jarrett, 14 on February 6, 2024. Evidence presented during the case showed that he shot them each twice in the head.
Guy was also found guilty on one charge of the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Carneifx and Jarrett were the mother and brother of Guy’s girlfriend, Shelby Frazier.
Kanawha County Prosecutor Debra Rusnak said they are pleased with the jury’s decision during this trial and believe justice was served.
“We just wanted to come here today to tell you that we are thrilled with the outcome of this trial,” Rusnak said during a press conference following Monday’s verdict. “This was a heinous crime and the citizens of this county deserve to walk these streets without the fear that a violent offender is walking among them.”
In the state of West Virginia, a first-degree murder conviction carries a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison.
Markus Guy
Rusnak said that the jury finding mercy means Guy will be considered parole eligible after serving 15 years, it does not mean he will make parole.
As for the other two convictions, she said it will be up to the court to decide whether to run those consecutively. Rusnak said should those be run consecutively, Guy would serve the time on the first charge before being parole eligible for the second and third charges.
Second-degree murder in the state is 10 to 40 years in prison, and the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony is up to 10 years.
Rusnak said Guy deserves this verdict, because it’s the family of Carnefix and Jarrett who have suffered most of all.
“The family of Brooke Carnefix and Koda Jarrett have suffered the greatest of all loss,” Rusnak said. “They have suffered more, endured more, and survived more than any family should have to.”
Prosecutors during the trial, Madison Tuck and Ken Bannon also said they were satisfied by the verdict.
“I want to take the opportunity to express my condolences to the family of the victims,” Tuck said. “I also want to thank the attorneys and staff at the Kanawha County Prosecutor’s Office for their continued mentorship, guidance, and tireless support.”
“I am grateful for the Kanawha County Sherriff’s Office for their hard work in this case and every case they’re involved in,” said Bannon. “The convictions in this case would not be possible without the diligence, hard work and expertise of several of our partners.”
Defense attorney Mark Plants served as attorney Ed Bullman’s co-counsel during the trial. He said the jury was attentive in their decision and made what they thought was most just in this situation.
“They heard all the evidence, all of last week and today, and quite frankly, trials don’t go into the second week very often, so they were here a long time, they paid attention, they sifted through the evidence, and they made a decision, and we respect that,” Plants said.
On February 6, 2024, Guy left the Hampton Inn in Southridge where he and Frazier were staying.
Frazier had previously testified that she had gone away from the room at the time he left and that he was upset with her for being gone so long.
Guy then traveled to Carnefix’s home at 35 Sapphire Drive in St. Albans, where he and Frazier had been staying.
While he was there collecting his belongings, he claimed Carnefix attacked him. This led to Guy to fatally shoot Carnefix and then her son, Jarrett for trying to take his gun away.
Guy turned himself into the police the next day.
Plants said this was a senseless murder.
“Based on the second and the first degree, I think this was situational violence that occurred that wasn’t planned or motivated, you know, when they left the hotel, this is something that occurred at the drop of a hat, in an instant, and I think that perhaps had some way in on today’s decision,” said Plants.
Guy testified again Monday on his own behalf before the decision for mercy was made.
“I never intended to hurt anyone, I didn’t go there looking to hurt anyone, it’s something that just happened,” Guy said in court Monday.
“I’m tragically sorry for the incident,” Guy said addressing Carnefix and Jarrett’s family in court.
Guy’s mother Candra Guy and a family friend of theirs’s also took the stand to plead for mercy on his behalf.
Candra Guy said her son is deserving of mercy.
“My son has a good heart, he takes good care of me and his grandad, my 87-year-old dad,” she said.
Several witnesses also took the stand again Monday to testify on behalf of Carnefix and Jarrett.
Guy will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. on April 23.