Seven months after a South Memphis shooting left one man dead and two others critically injured, a 20-year-old man now faces a first-degree murder indictment and a $5 million bond. The case marks a major turn in an investigation that began with a Jan. 4 shooting on McMillen Street.
Police say Rashod Manuel, also known as Rashod Shorter, is responsible for the shooting, according to Action News 5. Three men were shot, with Lorenzo Manuel pronounced dead at the scene and two other male victims taken to the hospital in critical condition.
A funeral-home obituary identifies Lorenzo Manuel as 18 and records his death on Jan. 4, according to Legacy.com. The obituary does not provide additional details about the shooting.
A Shelby County grand jury indicted Manuel on Monday on charges of first-degree murder, three counts of attempted first-degree murder, four counts of employing a firearm with intent to commit a dangerous felony, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, Action News 5 reports. He is being held on a $5 million bond.
What The Indictment Means
An indictment is a formal accusation, not a conviction. Tennessee courts instruct juries that a criminal defendant is presumed innocent and that prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, as outlined by the Tennessee Supreme Court.
The case now moves forward through Shelby County's criminal court system, where the evidence and circumstances surrounding the Jan. 4 shooting will be tested. No finding of guilt has been made against Manuel.
