Alonzo Burgess was sentenced to death by the State of Alabama for the murders of a woman and her two children
According to court documents Alonzo Burgess would go to the home of his ex girlfriend and murder her and her two children: Sheila Nnodimele, 31, and two of her children, Latoria Long, 14, and Alexis Nnodimele, 8.
Alonzo Burgess would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
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Alonzo Burgess Case
The Court finds from the evidence introduced at trial that the defendant, Alonzo Burgess, was living with the deceased, Sheila Nnodimele, and her three children, deceased, Latoria Long, age 14 years, deceased, Alexis Nnodimele, age 8 years, and LaRico Long, age 2 1/2 years on or about January 28, 1993, and January 29, 1993, at her home on Brotherton Street in Cherokee, Alabama. The Court finds that defendant had been living with Shelia Nnodimele for some time and that they had had a stormy relationship with the defendant physically abusing the deceased, Shelia Nnodimele, and with the defendant having a bad relationship with the oldest daughter, Latoria Long, deceased. The Court finds from the evidence that the deceased, Shelia Nnodimele, and her three children had had to move out of their own home on several occasions during Shelia Nnodimele’s relationship with the defendant due to his abuse. The Court further finds from the evidence that the defendant, Alonzo Lydell Burgess, was dependent on deceased, Shelia Nnodimele, for furnishing him money (at the time, she worked, and he did not), for a roof over his head, his food and for transportation. The Court further finds that the defendant, Alonzo Lydell Burgess, had a crack cocaine habit at the time in question and that he would frequent the place of employment of deceased, Shelia Nnodimele, especially on paydays (Thursdays) in order to get her check so he could support his habit.
“The Court further finds that the two older children, Latoria Long and Alexis Nnodimele, were good students and had not missed any full days of school in the 1992-1993 school year prior to January 29, 1993. The Court finds that the last time these two girls were seen alive was in the afternoon at the end of school on January 28, 1993. The Court further finds that on the evening of January 28, 1993, the defendant was seen by various witnesses at Shelia Nnodimele’s place of employment with another woman at the beginning of Ms. Nnodimele’s shift, and that he did not get her paycheck even though it was payday. The Court finds that he called her at least twice and the first time he called, Alvin Powers, her co-worker, who answered the telephone, did not tell Shelia Nnodimele who was calling, but he knew it was the defendant. She answered the telephone. The second time defendant called, Jessie Freeman, her co-worker answered the telephone and he told Shelia Nnodimele who was calling and she refused to answer to telephone.
“The Court finds from the evidence that Alonzo Burgess killed the two girls between the time they were last seen at school and the time they were found on the morning of January 30, 1993. More specifically, the Court finds from the evidence that he beat the two girls to death with a bumper jack assembly post and strangled Latoria Long with a ligature on the night of January 28, 1993, or the early morning hours of January 29, 1993, prior to 7:15 a.m. when Shelia Nnodimele, deceased, returned to her home from work.
“The Court further finds that Shelia Nnodimele was last seen alive the morning of January 29, 1993. The Court further finds that the defendant killed Shelia Nnodimele on the morning of January 29, 1993, by beating her on or about the head with a bumper jack assembly post and by strangling her with a ligature and by suffocating her when she returned home from work. When she was found dead, she was wearing the clothes she had been wearing when she was last seen at work by one of the co-workers. Dr. Kenneth Warner testified that the cause of death of Shelia Nnodimele was trauma to her head, strangulation or suffocation or a combination of the three and that the manner of death was homicide; that he testified that the cause of death of Latoria Long was cranial cerebral trauma (trauma to her head) and strangulation by ligature, and that the manner of her death was homicide, and finally that he testified that the cause of Alexis Nnodimele’s death was cranial cerebral trauma (trauma to her head) and that the manner of her death was homicide. He further testified that the presence of cerebral edema in Alexis Nnodimele indicated that she died slowly, because a person has to be alive in order for edema to appear. He testified that all three deceased suffered extensive fractures to their skulls and neck[s]. With respect to the neck injuries found by Dr. Warner on Shelia Nnodimele and Latoria Long, he testified they were identical. He further testified that the victims received the blow to the top of their heads which was of such magnitude that it caused a fracture to the base of their skulls. Likewise did Dr. Warner find an extensive fracture to the base of the skull on Alexis Nnodimele, and he testified that her injuries were consistent with those of her mother and sister. The Court further finds from the evidence that defendant on January 29, 1993, was seen by various witnesses, either wanting to borrow money or pawning items belonging to the deceased victims, and that he appeared nervous, fidgety, and big-eyed.
“The Court further finds that after Alonzo Burgess killed the three victims, he attempted to commit suicide on January 30, 1993, and left two notes indicating the reasons for the killings. However, the Court also finds from the evidence that defendant’s misuse of the deceased, Shelia Nnodimele’s money, house and vehicle was in the process of being terminated by her immediately prior to her death.”
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/al-court-of-criminal-appeals/1003485.html
