A Florida man pleaded guilty to murdering his girlfriend, shooting her in the laundry room of her home in August 2022.
On Monday morning, November 13, 2023, the murder case of 37-year-old Melissa Keonna Smith took a decisive turn when 41-year-old Alphonza Bryant pleaded to charges of murder in the first degree and possession of a firearm by a Felon after being slated for jury selection that morning.
Bryant was sentenced to 45 years in the Florida Department of Corrections, including a mandatory 25-year minimum term, in accordance with the 10-20-Life Law.
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In a tragic incident that unfolded in the early morning hours of August 8, 2022, Bryant tragically shot and murdered Melissa, his then-girlfriend, in the laundry room of her home.
“Eyewitness testimony serves as a crucial pillar in prosecuting any case, let alone a murder case. Bryant knew the evidence stacked against him would weave the narrative of truth for jurors to convict him,” said William “Bill” Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “Acknowledging this grim reality, we are pleased the defendant was sentenced to 45 years in prison. We hope this helps to bring closure to the tragic loss suffered by Melissa Keonna Smith’s family.”
The investigation revealed compelling surveillance footage from various locations near the victim’s residence. The footage captured Bryant’s ominous presence in the vicinity leading up to the fatal shooting. Notably, a video depicted Bryant stealthily approaching the victim’s home, producing a firearm, and engaging in a verbal altercation off-camera that culminated in a single gunshot.
Eyewitness accounts corroborated the chilling events captured on video. One brave individual, present with the victim, attested to Bryant’s attempt to forcibly enter the laundry room while brandishing a weapon.
Faced with the ominous sight of a gun, the witness was compelled to leave the scene, coincidentally walking down the same path where the fatal shot was fired.
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Bryant’s escape from the scene did not go unnoticed, as other eyewitnesses observed him fleeing and subsequently dropping a firearm shortly after the gunshot echoed through the area.
Following an exhaustive investigation by the Leesburg Police Department, Bryant was subsequently arrested for murder.
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