Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the conviction of Sabronte Lashun Rhodes, 46, of Mobile, for murder. Rhodes was originally convicted in the Mobile County Circuit Court on May 16, 2023, and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
The case stems from the fatal shooting of Johnny Soekhies, who was killed in Mobile between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. on October 25, 2019. A police investigation, which included video surveillance footage, linked Rhodes and his vehicle to the crime. Rhodes gave multiple statements to law enforcement, admitting that he had been with Soekhies before the shooting and that he sold methamphetamine on the dating app Grindr. However, Rhodes attempted to shift blame for the crime onto another individual.
Forensic evidence played a significant role in the case, as DNA results confirmed that Soekhies’ DNA was found in Rhodes’ vehicle. Additionally, cell phone data further connected Rhodes to the murder scene.
The Mobile County District Attorney’s Office, led by District Attorney Keith Blackwood, successfully prosecuted the case and secured a guilty verdict. Rhodes later sought to have his conviction overturned, but the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction in a decision issued on September 20, 2024.
Attorney General Steve Marshall commended Assistant Attorney General Christopher D. Howell for his work in handling the appeals process. He also expressed gratitude to District Attorney Keith Blackwood and his team for their contributions in upholding the murder conviction.
