Momolu Sirleaf pled guilty Dec. 4, to second degree murder and will serve 20 years in the penitentiary for the slaying of Victor Nimley.
The incident that resulted in Nimley’s death occurred on July 22, 2003. According to court documents, Sirleaf traveled to Alexandria from Trenton, N.J., to meet Nimley. At that time, Nimley gave Sirleaf three forged checks, totaling more than $15,000. Sirleaf attempted to cash the checks at several different banks but was unsuccessful.
When Sirleaf could not cash the checks, he met Nimley at 3911 Taney Avenue in the city’s west end. The two men argued and Sirleaf then cut Nimley across the front of his neck with a utility knife. Nimley ran from the house and collapsed about two blocks away, near Duke Street. He died a short time later of his wound.
Sirleaf left the scene in Nimley’s car but was stopped by police a few miles away. Police found the utility knife in Sirleaf’s pocket. Both the knife and Sirleaf’s clothing were stained with Nimley’s blood.
Nimley was 39 years old and a resident of Montgomery County, Md.
Murphy's Status the Same
Gregory Murphy was in Circuit Court in Alexandria on Dec. 4, for a semi-annual review of his case. He is still not competent to stand trial for the murder of eight-year-old Kevin Shifflett.
Murphy was charged with Kevin’s murder in October of 2000, and was found not competent to stand trial later that year. Since June, 2001, doctors have been giving Murphy antipsychotic medication in hopes of restoring him to competency.
While psychiatrists have seen some improvement in Murphy’s condition over the past two and-a-half years, he is still not able to assist in his defense. Doctors plan to use a new antipsychotic drug to see if this will improve Murphy’s condition further.
Kevin was murdered in his great grandparents’ front yard in Del Ray in April, 2000.