What did Brice Rhodes do?
Brice Rhodes is an ex-Louisville rapper. In March 2023, the Jefferson County Circuit Court declared that Rhodes would spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance of parole.
In May 2016, Rhodes was convicted of all charges for the killing of three individuals, including two teenage brothers who were viciously beaten and fatally stabbed. This occurred in December of last year.
According to statements from their family members, the brothers Larry Ordway, aged 14, and Maurice “Reece” Gordon, aged 16, saw the 25-year-old Rhodes as someone who could help them achieve fame and idolized him for being an honor student and amateur rapper.
According to prosecutors, the youths were murdered for witnessing Rhodes fatally injure Christopher Jones, who was 40 years old, a few weeks prior. Rhodes was convicted of Jones’ murder as well. The teenagers’ remains were discovered in an abandoned residence, 10 miles away from their mother’s residence where they resided.
The case was delayed for several years as Brice Rhodes went through multiple lawyers, with whom he either declined to cooperate or made threats. He endured a wait of over a year for a mental fitness assessment, and the case was put on hold during the pandemic when courts were closed.
Brice Rhodes’ Trial
In Dec 2023, Brice Rhodes was convicted on all charges for the murder of three individuals, including two teenage brothers who were violently beaten and fatally stabbed.
After closing arguments and shocking testimony from Brice Rhodes’ supposed accomplices, the jury of the Jefferson Circuit Court received the case at approximately 5:30 p.m. The alleged accomplices claimed that Rhodes had organized a vote to decide the fate of Larry Ordway, age 14, and Maurice Gordon, age 16.
During the final statements, the prosecution claimed that Rhodes planned the killings of the siblings in May 2016 due to his concern that they would expose him for the murder of Christopher Jones, a 40-year-old man, which occurred a few weeks earlier. The prosecution argued that Rhodes mistakenly believed Jones was someone else who had a reward on their life.
However, the defense for Brice Rhodes advised the jurors to not trust the main witnesses for the prosecution, Anjuan Carter and Jacorey “Corey” Taylor – who are cousins and have both accepted plea deals for lesser charges in connection to the case.
The defense had previously argued that these witnesses were given favorable deals in exchange for accusing Rhodes and that Carter was the probable perpetrator.
According to Jones Brown, when both Carter and Taylor testified, their accounts were nearly identical in the significant aspects. They both attested that Rhodes was the main instigator behind the killings and coerced them into joining in the assaults and deadly stabbings of Ordway and Gordon.
During the trial, Carter informed the jury that he was the only one who voted to spare the boys’ lives. The following day, Taylor testified and confirmed Rhodes’ decision to put the fate of the teenagers to a vote, but stated that no vote actually took place and he did not participate in one.
Taylor recounted that he assisted in fatally stabbing and beating Gordon at the direction of Rhodes, while Ordway stood by and listened to his pleading for mercy as his half-brother. Taylor also stated that Rhodes had previously stated, “We’ve got to kill them,” upon learning that they had spread news of Rhodes’ involvement in Jones’ death.
According to authorities, the bodies of the teenagers were discovered in an empty house 10 miles away from their mother’s residence. It was apparent from the evidence that the murderers had tried to set fire to their remains.
In addition to being charged with three counts of murder, Rhodes was also convicted of altering evidence and mistreating the bodies of Gordon and Ordway. If sentenced to the maximum penalty, Rhodes could spend the rest of their life behind bars with no chance of release.
