FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
December 14, 2012
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Alabama Attorney General
Page 1 of 1
AG ANNOUNCES SENTENCING FOR CHILDERSBURG MURDER
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange today announced the
sentencing of a Childersburg man for the murder of a woman he had been dating.
Cedric Keith, 37, was sentenced on December 12 to 30 years of imprisonment for the
shooting death of Magdalene Marbury, also of Childersburg.
Keith was found guilty on October 17 by a jury in Talladega County Circuit
Court following a two-day trial. The case was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s
Criminal Trials Division. Evidence was presented that included recorded statements in
which Keith admitted to the killing but gave three differing accounts in which he
claimed it had been accidental. Forensic evidence conflicted with the stories told by the
defendant.
“It is appropriate that this man will serve a long prison sentence for taking the
life of this young woman,” said Attorney General Strange. “Despite various stories he
offered, it was clearly proven that he deliberately committed murder, and justice
requires a stern punishment.”
On July 19, 2009, Keith and Marbury had been together at a softball game, when
Keith apparently became upset as she walked around the area with her sister and was
talking to others on a cell phone. Later that day, at Keith’s residence at 1098 Shady Lane,
Marbury was killed by a gunshot to her head. She was 26 years old.
Keith initially told police that he and Marbury had been fighting over the gun
and it went off. Later he said that he had been outside feeding dogs when he heard the
gunshot, went inside, and found Marbury dead. Another time, he claimed that he had
been outside to lock his car and tripped on the steps with the gun in his hand,
accidentally shooting Marbury. He eventually admitted that he had thrown the gun in
the septic tank behind his trailer, where it was subsequently recovered by law
enforcement. Forensic testing confirmed a match with the gun of the bullet that killed
Marbury.
Attorney General Strange commended those who handled this case, noting in
particular Assistant Attorneys General Bill Lisenby and James Rutter, and Paralegal
Lori Arnold of the Attorney General’s Criminal Trials Division; and Victim Service
Officer Ashley Harbin of the Attorney General’s Office of Victim Assistance. He also
thanked the Talladega County Sheriff’s Office.
501 Washington Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
