Mayfield, Ky.–A Mayfield man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole during the sentencing hearing in Graves County Monday. He had been found guilty earlier this year of the murder of a young mother.
Ezell Miller was sentenced after a four-day jury trial which concluded late in the evening on Friday, February 7, 2020. The Graves County Jury found Miller guilty of the murder of Lauren Alexander and several other felonies.
Due to safety guidelines implemented to combat COVID-19, the Sentencing Hearing for Miller was conducted via Zoom. The hearing was held before Judge Timothy Stark, and also appearing remotely at the hearing were: Richie Kemp, Commonwealth’s Attorney; Aimee K. Clymer-Hancock, Asst. Commonwealth’s Attorney; Angela Lindsay, Dept. of Probation and Parole; Jason Pfeil, Miller’s attorney; Ezell Miller, Defendant; and Beth McKinney, mother of Lauren Alexander, the victim.
According to the press release from Kemp’s office, three of Lauren Alexander’s close friends testified that in the weeks and days preceding February 28, 2016, Lauren was scared of Miller. Miller was entering Lauren’s home randomly and without her permission. On one occasion, Lauren woke up to Miller standing over her as she slept. Lauren was so afraid of Miller, she planned to move so she would not reside in such close proximity to him.
In the early morning hours of February 28, 2016, Lauren was at her home with her then 2 year old son, then 2 month old daughter, and guest, Tres McCampbell. With two powerful kicks, Miller kicked in the front door to Lauren’s home. The kicks were so powerful, the door handle and dead bolt lock were kicked entirely off the door. Miller struck McCampbell in the head with the Glock. McCampbell fled. Miller then shot Lauren in the face with the .357 Glock at close range (1 to 4 inches), according to Kemp.
After shooting Lauren, Miller left Lauren, her two-year-old son, and two-month-old daughter in the home, with Lauren bleeding from the gunshot wound to her head and struggling to breath. Miller waited approximately 45 minutes to call 911. During that time, he wrapped the Glock in one of his t-shirts and hid it under the crawl space of his home. Lauren died the following morning.
Mayfield police officers found Alexander alive but suffering from a gunshot wound on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, inside her home. She was taken to Jackson Purchase Medical Center in Mayfield, then later taken to a Nashville, Tennessee, hospital, where she died overnight.
As a result of the jury trial, Miller was convicted of the following crimes:
- Murder, 1st Degree, Class A Felony
- Burglary, 1st Degree, PFO Enhanced, Class A Felony
- 2 Counts: Wanton Endangerment, PFO Enhanced, Class B Felonies
- Convicted Felon in Possession of Handgun, Class C Felony,
- Assault, Under Extreme Emotional Distress, PFO Enhanced, Class B Felony, and
- Tampering with Physical Evidence, PFO Enhanced, Class B Felony.