A 51-year-old man from Kent is now facing a series of serious charges after authorities linked him to two fatal shootings and two violent assaults that occurred over one weekend in July.
Identified as Alphonzo Kelly, the suspect was formally charged on August 1 with two counts of first-degree murder, second-degree assault, and unlawful firearm possession, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. These charges come in addition to second-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment allegations filed against him on July 15.
Kelly is currently being held without bail as investigators piece together a timeline of what prosecutors have described as a deadly and violent weekend centered around a Kent apartment complex.
According to the charging documents, a surveillance video captured a man believed to be Kelly forcefully kicking open the door of an apartment unit on July 14. As another man attempted to intervene, both fell to the ground just before multiple gunshots were heard. Prosecutors say the footage also captured the suspect entering the apartment, where a woman’s scream was followed by another gunshot. Before leaving, the individual appeared to take an item from a table and something from the male victim’s pocket.
The two individuals who lost their lives in the incident were later identified as 34-year-old Gary Winston and 46-year-old Migna Kennebrew. Both reportedly died of gunshot wounds, and the medical examiner ruled their deaths as homicides.
Authorities believe Kelly was also involved in two earlier attacks that same weekend. On July 12, a man informed police that upon returning to his apartment, he was unexpectedly assaulted by Kelly, who also goes by the nickname “Slim.” The victim alleged that Kelly struck him in the face, tied him up using an electrical cord, and, alongside another man, continued to beat him for over 30 minutes. During the assault, the victim said a serrated kitchen knife was held to his throat and that he had been strangled. Medical professionals later described the man’s injuries as potentially life-threatening. While recovering in the hospital, he identified Kelly as his attacker.
In a separate incident also on July 12, another man reported that Kelly had chased him with a hammer following a confrontation. According to the victim, Kelly had been hiding in a closet before emerging to strike him in the head, causing serious injury.
When police later searched Kelly’s residence, they found clothing that closely resembled what the shooter had worn in the apartment surveillance footage.
The Kent Police Department confirmed that the Snohomish County U.S. Marshals Task Force played a key role in locating and arresting Kelly. Authorities also noted that Kelly has a lengthy criminal background, including several previous felony charges and a documented history of assault.
As the investigation continues, prosecutors are building what they call a deeply troubling picture of a weekend marked by escalating violence and fatal outcomes.
