Following two days of trial, a jury has found Jamal Mounts guilty in the 2014 murder of his mother, Roxie Mounts, and guilty of attempted murder in the assault of Marvelyn Spray.
After hearing all the evidence—which included a chilling 911 call and gruesome crime scene photos—the jury only deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before finding Mounts guilty on charges of murder, attempted murder, fourth-degree assault and first-degree burglary. Circuit Judge Andrew Self read the ruling aloud to the court once the jury returned.
Spray testified during the sentencing phase of the trial, saying that there’s not a day that goes by that she doesn’t think about what happened to her and her friend, Roxie Mounts.
Ariel Edwards is the niece of Jamal Mounts and says she knows her uncle loves his family and this has been a double-loss for her family.
Commonwealth Attorney Rick Boling says he was pleased with the verdict, though the family is split on the decision—some want him to get professional mental help and others want him to spend the rest of his life in prison.
The guilty verdict comes with a recommended life sentence as determined by the jury. He will have to serve at least 20 years of that sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Mounts will return to court on October 2 for final sentencing.
Mounts beat Roxie Mounts to death in 2014, assaulted his brother who attempted to interfere and then broke down the door of neighbor Spray’s apartment, and attempted to kill her.