Prime Crime: Teen Brothers Found Murdered Behind Abandoned House
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Christopher Jones, 40, was shot and killed in a Louisville neighborhood, initially appearing as an isolated homicide with no leads.
- ❖Weeks later, the burned and stabbed bodies of 16-year-old Maurice Gordon and 14-year-old Larry Ordway were found in an alley.
- ❖The boys were identified through school sketches after not being reported missing, revealing a troubled home life and a close bond between the brothers.
- ❖Bryce Rhodess, known as "Rambo," was identified as a key figure, having dated the boys' mother and served as a 'cool guy' mentor, providing them with clothes and food.
- ❖Anwan Carter, a friend of the brothers, was found wearing Maurice's stolen shoes and eventually confessed under interrogation, detailing the murders.
- ❖Carter revealed that Rhodess killed Maurice and Larry because they knew he had shot Christopher Jones, fearing they would 'snitch' to their mother.
- ❖The boys were tied up, gagged, and brutally stabbed multiple times by Rhodess, with Carter and Taylor also participating under duress.
- ❖Rhodess attempted to destroy evidence by burning the bodies and cleaning the crime scene with bleach, but forensic teams found traces of blood.
- ❖Anwan Carter and Jakori Taylor accepted plea deals in exchange for truthful testimony against Bryce Rhodess.
- ❖Bryce Rhodess exhibited extreme disruptive behavior in court, including spitting at his attorney and threatening a judge, leading to him being restrained.
- ❖Despite the defense's attempts to discredit the co-defendants' testimony, Bryce Rhodess was found guilty of three counts of murder and sentenced to life without parole after a seven-year legal process.
Insights
1Initial Murder of Christopher Jones: A Case of Mistaken Identity
Christopher Jones was shot and killed while walking home, with no immediate witnesses or clear motive. The investigation initially stalled, treating it as an isolated incident. Years later, it was revealed that Bryce Rhodess, accompanied by Maurice Gordon and Larry Ordway, shot Jones, believing he was someone else they had a 'hit out on.'
Police found Jones's body in the street with no surrounding crowd or witnesses (). Anwan Carter later confessed that Rhodess shot Jones from a car, and they only learned he died from the news (, ). Jakori Taylor confirmed Bryce shot him ().
2Brutal Murders of Maurice Gordon and Larry Ordway to Silence Witnesses
Weeks after Jones's death, Maurice and Larry were found brutally murdered—stabbed multiple times and set on fire. The motive was Bryce Rhodess's fear that the boys would expose his involvement in Christopher Jones's murder, as they had confided in their mother.
The boys' bodies were found burnt, with one stabbed 18 times and the other over 20 times (). Anwan Carter stated Rhodess was upset because the boys were 'telling the police things' about Rhodess shooting someone at the park (). The prosecutor's opening statement confirmed the boys were killed because they were talking about the murder ().
3Interrogation Tactics and Co-defendant Testimony as Key Breakthroughs
The investigation gained significant traction when Maurice's mother called his phone, which was answered by Anwan Carter. Detectives found Carter wearing Maurice's distinctive shoes. Through a combination of 'good cop/bad cop' tactics, showing graphic photos of the victims, and a family intervention, Carter eventually confessed, detailing Rhodess's role and the sequence of events, including his own coerced participation.
Maurice's mother called his phone, answered by Anwan Carter, who was found wearing Maurice's shoes (, ). Detectives showed Carter graphic photos of his friends to elicit a confession (, ). Carter's sister convinced him to talk after seeing his distress (, ). Carter then detailed how Rhodess tied up, gagged, and stabbed the boys (, ).
4Bryce Rhodess's Manipulation and Courtroom Antics
Bryce Rhodess was a manipulative figure who leveraged his 'cool guy' image and financial support to control the vulnerable teenagers. During his trial, he exhibited extreme defiance, fighting with his attorney, spitting, and threatening judges, prolonging the legal process for years.
Rhodess was described as a 'father figure' and 'local cool guy' who bought the boys food and clothes (, ). He was restrained in court with a spit mask and still managed to threaten a judge (, ). The case, which started in 2016, did not conclude until 2023 due to these delays ().
Quotes
"It's two people in the alley. Oh my god. Somebody set them on fire. It look like two kids."
"People that apply fire to the deceased often believe that they are eradicating evidence, but the one thing that fire will not destroy, it's not going to disguise any kind of wound tracks."
"As a human being, the last thing you want to show any parent is a picture of their deceased child. I just said, 'I I got to do it.'"
"Your mama has to see this. Think about the last minutes of their life, what they went through, 'cause I would imagine that's hell on earth."
"He kills these two kids because these two kids knew about that."
"Well, I'm going to take his shoes. He don't need those anymore."
"I've been covered in trials for 25 years where I've never seen a defendant that basically ran the courtroom."
"God say vengeance is minds who says the Lord. So you can find the Lord in in anywhere anywhere. And I hope you do find Jesus."
"Evil exists and I've seen evil. It's scary and it's disheartening as a human being."
Q&A
Recent Questions
Related Episodes
True-crime cases with recent developments | 48 Hours Full Episodes
"This episode reconstructs four complex true-crime cases, detailing the harrowing searches for missing persons, the challenges of prosecuting murders without bodies, and the enduring quest for justice in cold cases spanning decades."
Hired Help? Mystery Perp? Nancy Guthrie Search Blows Wide Open | Nancy Guthrie Missing Day 14
"On day 14 of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, host Ashleigh Banfield and former FBI Special Agent Maureen O'Connell dissect new federal warrants, the use of a 'signal sniffer' for a pacemaker, and the perplexing details of the crime scene."
Woman Stabbed 55 Times After Moving In With Boyfriend
"After moving into their new dream home, Rashelle Brussaw was found stabbed 55 times, leading investigators to uncover a history of abuse and paranoia surrounding her long-term boyfriend, Toby Madden."
The YouTuber Who Had Her Husband Murdered
"A young YouTuber with dreams of online fame orchestrated the brutal murder of her husband, Ernie Abara, after staging a home invasion, leading to a complex investigation that exposed her calculated deception."