VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The fate of man charged in a 2010 deadly armed robbery is now in the hands a Virginia Beach jury.
Alex Jenkins is accused of robbing the Junior Market on South Lynnhaven Road and was there when 41-year-old Jeannie Murphy was shot and killed. On Wednesday, the medial examiner testified that Murphy was shot in the back and shoulder. The wound to her back hit an artery and that led to her death.
Murphy lived in the neighborhood next to the convenience store. On December 19, 2010, she walked into the store to buy a 12-pack of beer. She was unaware the store was being robbed. Once she realized it, she tried to run and one of the suspects opened fire. An expert from the Virginia Department of Forensics testified there were three bullets and three casings found at the scene. The bullets and casings were fired from the same gun.
The case went cold for several years until 2014. That’s when Jenkins, who was serving an eight-year sentence for a December 2010 robbery, asked to talk to guards at the King Mountain Correctional Center. “Jenkins said it had been weighing on him for a long time and he wanted to get it off his chest,” said former guard Craig Arms. Jenkins told guards he was one of the robbers that night at the Junior Market. He went on to say that he was with Tramonte Hines and it was Hines who fired the gun.
Jenkins took the stand during the trial. He told the jury he only put himself at the scene because he had information on the murder, but no one would listen to him. He said he wanted to bring closure to Murphy’s family. The 28-year-old also testified that he thought his statements wouldn’t be used against him and maybe he would have his prison sentence reduced for the information.
The jury got the case just after 4 p.m. They deliberated until 7 p.m. before deciding to call it a night. The jury will start deliberations first thing Thursday morning.
