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Justice was served this past Thursday for the murder of Charles Edward Curry “Jay” Jr. Seven years after the crime, Shantel Jalisa Boone, 34, has been sentenced by Circuit Judge Cleve Poole to 50 years in the state penitentiary and ordered she pay a $10,000 fine, as well as a repayment of $3,871.74 to the family for funeral costs, and $1,000 compensation for the legal fees of the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission (ACVCC). 

Curry’s family attended the sentencing hearing and made their last statements to Poole and in hopes of consideration for a larger judgment sentence for the crime committed. 

“I would like to know why?” said Charles Curry’s mother Yvonne Curry. “Why did she have to take away my son? He will never be able to see his sons grow up. His life was taken for no reason. I will live with a broken heart forever. Today, we ask the court to not show any mercy, for she showed no mercy for our son.”

Boone was found guilty for Curry’s March 9, 2016 murder in May.  He was found shot in the head by Boone with a .45 caliber pistol, after a heated argument at 336 Linda Avenue in Greenville. Curry was airlifted to a Birmingham hospital that evening and died from his injuries the next morning. 

Family members delivered six other emotional statements, including Tearia Curry (niece), Carlotta Curry (sister), Latrista Smith (mother of Curry’s Son), Jeffrey Hall (family friend), Keandre Curry (nephew), and Andrea Gandy (mother of Curry’s second son), read by Anna M. Findley, the District Attorney’s Victim Service Officer (VSO) for this case. 

“This family has been through the unimaginable and they’ve handled this amount of grief and pain by leaning on each other and God the entire time,” said Findley. “As I stood next to each of them as they addressed the court, I could sympathize with them so much, but what I thought was truly a heartwarming experience was hearing the family members mention forgiving Ms. Boone because they knew it was what God would have wanted. That takes courage and strength. I pray this family can put this chapter behind them and live their best lives in memory of Jay.”

Each family member asked the court for the max sentence. Exclamations and tears of relief followed Poole’s reading of Boone’s sentence. District Attorney Charlotte Tesmer said she’s pleased with the outcome and pointed out that even though seven years is a long time to wait, the wait is now over. 

“Justice was served,” said the victim’s father Charles Curry Sr. “We thank God, we thank the district attorney staff, the judge, our victim service officer, and the jury. Remember, God is good.”