FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
March 17, 2016
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
AG ANNOUNCES THAT COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS UPHOLDS
ELMORE COUNTY CAPITAL MURDER AND ASSAULT CONVICTIONS
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange announced that the Alabama
Court of Criminal Appeals on last Friday upheld the murder and first-degree assault
convictions of Stalandus Z. Slaughter. Slaughter, 30, of Eclectic, was convicted in the
Elmore County Circuit Court in September of 2014 for the murder of Kenyatta Kendrick
and the assault of Darren Kendrick.
Evidence presented at trial showed that at around 3 a.m. on January 4, 2011, two
men paid by Slaughter used automatic weapons to shoot several rounds of bullets into the
residence of the Kendrick family. Six-year-old Kenyetta Kendrick was struck in the chest
and died minutes later. Her uncle, Darren Kendrick, was struck in the left heel and thigh
but survived.
The two shooters later surrendered. Under interrogation, they revealed that
Slaughter directed them to shoot up the Kendricks’ house to kill another resident of the
house, Darren’s brother and Kenyetta’s uncle, Demeco Kendrick. They stated that
Slaughter provided them with the ammunition and assault weapon. Evidence also was
presented that Slaughter admitted to an individual with whom he was incarcerated at the
Elmore County jail that he paid two “guys a thousand dollars to shoot the house up.”
Slaughter also described the weapon used and the injuries sustained by the victims.
The two shooters pleaded guilty to murder and first-degree assault, and are
currently incarcerated.
The Slaughter case was prosecuted at trial by Elmore County District Attorney
Randall Houston’s office. Slaughter was sentenced as a habitual offender to life in prison
without the possibility of parole on the capital murder conviction, and to life imprisonment
for the first-degree assault conviction. He subsequently sought to have his convictions
reversed on appeal.
The Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Section handled the case during the
appeals process, arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to affirm the
conviction. The Court did so in a decision issued on Friday, March 11.
Attorney General Strange commended Assistant Attorney General Marc Starrett of
the Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Section Division for his successful work in this
case.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
