A Shelby County judge on Wednesday ruled there was probable cause to move forward and bound Memphis man Corey Lurry to state court on first‑degree murder and related firearm charges tied to a September 2025 shooting in the Heights neighborhood. In court, prosecutors said a witness described a pursuit and repeated gunfire, identified Lurry as the shooter, and reported that the victim was found shot multiple times and died at the scene.
According to a post by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office on Facebook, the ruling came after a preliminary hearing in General Sessions Court and sends the case on to criminal court. The post notes that Assistant District Attorney Monica Timmerman handled the hearing and that the court formally found probable cause to hold the case to the state.
Memphis police had previously arrested Lurry in October 2025 in connection with the investigation, and earlier reporting said the department’s fugitive unit carried out the arrest. That earlier coverage reported the arrest and noted he faced first‑degree murder and firearm charges related to the case.
What prosecutors said at the hearing
During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors put on witness testimony that described a vehicle pursuit, multiple rounds fired, and a victim who was struck several times and died at the scene. One witness identified Corey Lurry as the shooter, and the judge found that account sufficient to meet the probable‑cause standard and bind the case over to criminal court. The district attorney’s Facebook post lays out those courtroom statements and the judge’s decision. Shelby County District Attorney’s Office (Facebook)
Next steps in court
The “held to state” finding moves the case out of General Sessions and into criminal court, where prosecutors can either present the investigation to a grand jury or file formal charges directly. Case schedules and records for Shelby County criminal matters are available through the county’s online system. Shelby County Criminal Justice System Portal
Legal note
Lurry is charged with first‑degree murder and related firearm offenses, serious felonies that carry significant penalties under Tennessee law. The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office has said this spring that violent‑crime prosecutions remain a priority and has recently sought high bonds and quick transfers in other homicide cases. Shelby County District Attorney’s Office
No trial date was set at the preliminary hearing, and the case now moves into the usual criminal‑court process while prosecutors prepare their presentation to the state. For now, the district attorney’s Facebook post serves as the office’s public summary of the hearing and the allegations.
