Third defendant on trial for 2017 murder of Jennifer Nevin

It’s been almost six years since 23-year-old Jennifer Nevin’s body was found shot to death on a dirt road in Tuscaloosa County. 

One of her accused killers is standing trial this week. 

Three people were charged in this case: Vida Confetti, Kendrick Marshall and Koran Lewis. Lewis is the defendant that’s been on trial since Monday.

On Wednesday, the prosecution called it’s 18th and final witnesses to the stand. It was a woman named Denisha Smith who testified that she witnessed Jennifer’s murder. 

Under oath, Smith said she was in the car with all three suspects and Nevin when they started arguing. Smith said Confetti snatched Nevin’s phone and began questioning her about a texting conversation Nevin was having on that device. 

Court documents filed in 2017 show the suspects thought Nevin was setting them up for a possible robbery through that texting exchange. 

Smith said that’s when Lewis began threatening to kill Nevin, who responded with “Please don’t kill me, I have a son.”

Smith continued her account of what happened that night, saying Confetti and Lewis beat Nevin and it was Marshall and Lewis who shot her. 

Jennifer Nevin’s brother Will was in the courtroom Wednesday and learned about the last moments of his sister’s life. 

“Drugs and drug usage are all over the history of the story that’s been playing out in that courtroom,” Nevin said. “My sister was a user, she was also a small business owner, but she was a human. She was a human being who deserved respect and dignity. The defendants in this case did not give her that.”

The Nevins mother passed away since Jennifer’s murder. Will said he will see this to the end for both of them.

“I was there to tell my mother that her only daughter had been shot and left for dead,” Nevin said. “If you could imagine the sound of a heart breaking, that is the sound that came out of my mother’s mouth that day. It is a sound that will stick with me forever. This has caused more pain that people can imagine.”

In 2022, Vida Confetti and Kenrick Marshal pleaded guilty to their charges in this case. Both are serving life sentences.

Will Nevin said there’s only one outcome that will allow him and his family to close this chapter and move forward.

“Three defendants in prison forever. It is time to be over, Nevin said. It is time to be done. I am ready to be done.”

Lewis’ defense rested Wednesday afternoon. His trial will resume Thursday morning. 

-kn