Suvechha Sarkar
Ahmad Rashad Laster Sr., lovingly known as Shad, had built a happy and fulfilling life for himself surrounded by his wife and children. Unfortunately, the 36-year-old met his untimely demise in September 2017, when he was shot dead in Flagler County, Florida, in the driveway of his friend’s home. Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Murder Tapes: The Drop Off’ sheds light on the investigation that soon followed. It eventually led officials to uncover surveillance footage, helping them identify and arrest the killer. The episode also features interviews with his friend and the law enforcement officials who worked on the case.
Ahmad Laster Was Fatally Shot in the Driveway of His Friend’s Home
Ahmad Rashad Laster Sr. was welcomed into the world by Mary Spearmon and Alfred Laster Sr. on January 5, 1981. He grew up in a loving household in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he was affectionately referred to as Shad. He had the unwavering love of his parents and siblings, who were also a constant source of support in his life. Ahmad was often described as a “goofy” and generous person who always had a smile on his face. He completed his education in the Flagler County School system. During that time, his athletic abilities often shone through as he participated in several sports.
Eventually, Ahmad entered the workforce and settled down in Bunnell, Florida. In adulthood, he found his soulmate when he crossed paths with Erica Laster. As the days passed, their growing connection led them to start dating. Eventually, they tied the knot surrounded by their loved ones. Over the next few years, the couple welcomed their children, including Ahmad Laster Jr., into their lives. A significant part of his life revolved around his family. In his free time, he enjoyed going on fishing trips and listening to music.
On September 19, 2017, Ahmad visited a friend’s house at 156 Parkview Drive in Palm Coast, Florida. Things took a turn when he was shot in the driveway of that home around 3:54 am, prompting his friend to call 911 and report the crime. When officials and paramedics rushed to the location, they found that Ahmad was still alive. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately, he passed away shortly after. At the scene, authorities recovered a .40 caliber shell casing. The autopsy reports determined that his cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, turning the case into a homicide investigation.
Crucial Surveillance Footage Helped Investigators Arrest The Killer
Officials initially questioned the 911 caller, Danielle Vespry, who said she and Ahmad were watching football when he said he needed to settle something with a man and then walked out. In her statements, she recalled hearing a gunshot, following which she went outside on the driveway to find the 36-year-old lying and the shooter fleeing in a car, as per police records. Eventually, detectives recovered two surveillance videos from a neighboring home. One of them captured the view of the shooter’s car arriving, but didn’t provide them with any clear identification. Reports state that the second piece of footage captured the car arriving, after which a man walked up to Ahmad in the driveway, and they appeared to have an altercation.
Further records indicate that the footage also captured the suspect taking out a gun and shooting Ahmad before walking away and fleeing the scene in the vehicle. When officials questioned Ahmad’s brother at the station, he informed them that the 36-year-old owed their cousin, Clarence Murphy Jr. According to one of the detectives on the show, when the CCTV footage that captured the shooter was shown to Ahmad’s family, they identified the suspect as Clarence. As investigators dug deeper, they discovered that he had previously served prison sentences for unrelated drug charges. After surveilling Clarence, investigators finally arrested him at a traffic stop on September 19, 2017, and he was charged with first-degree murder.
Following that, Clarence and his girlfriend were both brought to the station. During the interrogation, his girlfriend told them she and her boyfriend had attended a family cookout in Bunnell before he returned home around 2:30 am. According to police records, she also stated that Clarence had left again and returned around 4 am. When he was questioned, Clarence claimed that he and Ahmad had fought after the 36-year-old gave him a food stamp with no money, and Clarence insisted that he didn’t kill his cousin. Reports state that Clarence eventually confessed to shooting his cousin and led the officials to the location where he discarded the firearm. It ultimately helped them recover the murder weapon.
Clarence Murphy is Incarcerated at a Florida Prison Facility Today
After his arrest, Clarence Murphy had written an apology letter to Ahmad’s family. In the meantime, the prosecution built a strong case against the defendant, focusing on the evidence like his confession, the CCTV footage that captured him, and the discovery of the murder weapon. Clarence ultimately avoided a jury trial by entering into a plea agreement with the prosecution. On May 8, 2018, he pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of second-degree murder of Ahmad. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on May 31 of that same year.
In September 2022, Clarence returned to the court seeking relief, claiming that he had received ineffective assistance of counsel. He argued that his attorney had provided him with inadequate representation regarding his guilty plea to the second-degree murder charge. Furthermore, Clarence claimed he did not expect to be sentenced to life in prison and sought a reduction of his sentence. However, no subsequent public reports provide further details about the proceedings on his motion. As of writing, Clarence is serving his sentence at the South Bay Correctional Facility in South Bay, Florida.
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