Task Force arrests man on reckless homicide charge

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The Memphis Safe Task Force announced the arrest of a homicide suspect Wednesday after a fatal shooting in February.

Cory Hemphill Jr., 18, has been charged with reckless homicide in this incident. On February 13, Memphis Police officers responded to a shots fired call on Kelley Circle South and Kelley Road just before midnight.

When they arrived, police said they located a man lying in the front yard suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Regional One Hospital in critical condition, but did not survive his injuries.

Police investigators managed to recover video from the scene of the homicide and found a white Jeep Grand Cherokee arrived at the scene and parked down the street.

Records state that a group of six armed and masked men exit the Jeep and approach a home on foot. Moments after they entered the front door, gunshots were heard. Then, the subjects fled the home.

Video obtained by police shows the last person leaving the residence with a handgun, running through the front yard. Then, the subject turns his back and fires the gun, which appeared to be modified to be fully automatic.

Those shots struck Kaleb Ambrose and would result in his death.

After Ambrose collapsed in the yard, police said the subjects left the scene in the Jeep. Records state that the occupants paused at Kelly Road and Kelley Circle North and fired over 70 rounds into the air.

Later, investigators received a tip about the shooter, including the nickname “CJ From the Bay.” Investigators managed to pull cell phone tower data during the specific timeframe of the incident.

Further investigation and a phone list from a neighboring jurisdiction were able to show that the phone was associated with Cory Hemphill Jr. Officers were able to determine that Hemphill’s phone made calls after the shooting to a man and another call to a woman who remained on the scene.

Officers on the case compared video evidence showing eyes, eyebrows, face shape and long hair coming out of the mask with Tennessee state ID photo with the sixth subject in the group, specifically the person firing shots that resulted in the death of Ambrose.

Hemphill was located by officers, detained and taken into custody on June 9. His bond information has not yet been posted.

Hemphill is next appearance in court is expected on June 11.

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