The man accused of killing a Memphis jewelry store employee is behind bars.
21-year old Jesse Slade is charged with First Degree Murder in the death of Noah Ashene.
Memphis Police say Slade stabbed Noah Ashene inside Golden Jewelers in Hickory Hill Thursday, February 16. Ashene was working, and his one-year-old son was inside with him. The child wasn’t hurt.
Employees of My Pet Groomer next door were working when the jewelry store was robbed.
“I can’t believe it. We’re all still in shock here,” says Barbara Sears. “We were told he was stabbed and he covered his child to protect his child.”
“Sweetest man. I just can’t believe someone just took his life,” says Brandi Montgomery.
Golden Jewelers is closed for business following the robbery and stabbing.
They say the victim’s wife found him on the floor behind the counter, bleeding, with the couple’s one-year-old son on top of him covered in blood.
“She got here moments after it happened and found her husband and her baby, and her baby was covered all in his dad’s blood,” says Sears.
“She wanted her son you know,” says Montgomery. “He had already been taken outside away from the dad and covered in blood. She just wanted to hold him. Held him until he fell asleep.”
Thankfully, the one-year-old wasn’t hurt, but his dad, Noah Ashene, is gone. Those who knew him say he was one of a kind and will be missed.
“He was family oriented. Had children. And you know bless his soul the circumstances that happened is just God awful,” says Sears.
“Everybody up and down here has cameras. I mean you just can’t protect yourself enough nowadays,” says Sears. “It could’ve easily been us. He could’ve walked into Rent A Center or any of these establishments up in here. I mean we don’t carry a lot of money or anything like that, but it’s just needless crimes. Needless crimes!”
Witnesses say if someone could commit such a crime in front of a child, they are dangerous and need to be caught.
“It’s very scary cause you know I work here. Been here a long time,” says Montgomery. (Reporter: ‘You have surveillance?) “Yeah, we do. It watches the lobby and tries to protect us the best it can.”
