KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — Markus Guy, 33, was sentenced to prison on Wednesday after being found guilty of the double murder of 39-year-old Alisha Carnefix and her 14-year-old nephew, Koda Jarrett, in Kanawha County.
Guy received a 40-year sentence for the second-degree murder of Carnefix and a life sentence, with the possibility of parole, for the first-degree murder of Jarrett. Additionally, he was sentenced to 10 years for the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The sentences will run consecutively, and Guy will be eligible for parole in 27.5 years.
During the hearing, family and friends of the victims spoke emotionally about their loss. Tiffany Owens, Jarrett’s aunt and Carnefix’s sister, shared how the deaths have devastated her family and the community.
“A piece of my heart has been taken that can never be replaced,” Owens told the court. “I’m left with an emptiness inside that can never be filled.”
Last month, a Kanawha County jury convicted Guy of first-degree murder for Jarrett’s shooting death and second-degree murder for Carnefix’s killing. He was also found guilty of using a firearm during the felony. The jury recommended mercy, which would have allowed Guy to be eligible for parole in 15 years. However, because of the severity of the other charges, he will not be eligible for parole until 27.5 years into his sentence.
“I’m happy with the outcome,” Owens told Eyewitness News. “We couldn’t have asked for more time for him to serve. It’s hard going through all this, but knowing that he’s going to spend most, if not all, of his life behind bars helps.”
Family members also expressed their grief. Carnefix’s mother and her daughter, who was dating Guy at the time, had letters read in court, detailing the profound emotional pain they have endured over the last year. Hailey Douglas, Jarrett’s best friend from Winfield Middle School, also spoke at the hearing.
“He was the most vibrant person I think I’ve ever met,” Douglas said. “One of a kind personality. You’re not going to see much of that, and now there’s nothing left to put that out there more.”
The tragic events took place on February 6, 2024. Guy, upset with his girlfriend, went to her mother’s house, where he shot and killed Carnefix and Jarrett. He later confessed to his girlfriend about the murders before turning himself in the following day.
During the trial, Guy claimed he acted in self-defense, but the jury found otherwise. In court, Guy expressed remorse, saying, “It was not my intention to go there and harm anybody, and I’m sorry for the outcome, and I wish it had never happened.”
While the sentencing does not erase the pain for Carnefix and Jarrett’s loved ones, it provides some measure of justice. Owens hopes the conclusion of the case will help her family heal. “Hopefully this lets us put things behind us a little bit better now and start our healing process,” she said.
Guy has also been ordered to pay restitution to the West Virginia Crime Victims Compensation Fund to cover the costs of the victims’ funerals.
