A routine day inside the Gaston County Jail turned chaotic Friday when two inmates were hit with attempted first-degree murder charges after prosecutors say they ambushed another detainee, stabbing and badly beating him. Authorities allege the pair forced their cell door open and rushed the victim, leaving him with multiple stab wounds and serious injuries.
Prosecutors identified the suspects as 19-year-old Jamony Kennedy and 22-year-old Marquan Marshall, who now face attempted first-degree murder and related counts, as reported by WCNC. According to the station, the new charges also include assault with a deadly weapon, assault inflicting serious injury and possession of tools for escape, and the two are scheduled to appear on the new counts on April 30.
Inside The Gaston County Jail
The assault unfolded inside the county detention complex that holds both pretrial and federal detainees. The facility has an operating capacity of roughly 440 inmates, according to the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s site also notes the jail runs an on-site medical unit and an annex, details that highlight how staff juggle housing and supervision across multiple areas of the lockup.
What Charging Documents Say Happened
Charging documents reviewed by WCNC allege the two inmates used a bottle cap to keep their cell door from fully latching, then forced it open and left their cell to attack a cellmate. The documents say Kennedy struck the victim, identified as Tevon Allison, with a dinner tray and stabbed him in the upper torso, neck and head while both suspects punched, kicked and stomped him.
Marshall’s Earlier Murder Case
Marshall was already facing two counts of first-degree murder in a separate case connected to the deaths of two 19-year-olds last year, a case previously reported by the Gaston Gazette. That earlier case has kept Marshall in the Gaston County Jail while prosecutors add these latest charges to his growing docket.
What Happens Next
Both men are expected to appear in court on April 30 on the new charges, and prosecutors will decide whether to seek indictments. Investigators are still reviewing the incident, and the sheriff’s office and the district attorney’s office had not released a detailed public statement by press time.
