Eric Kelly

Eric Kelly, a 46-year-old Black man, was a friend and soulmate to his partner of over 16 years, Julia Bennett. His life came to a violent and unexpected end in his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama, during a family gathering in the spring of 2020.

On the afternoon of Saturday, May 30, 2020, Kelly was visiting his uncle’s house with his mother. According to his partner, a family quarrel broke out that involved Kelly’s cousin, Anita Dudley, and another woman. Kelly was reportedly attempting to leave the home in the 700 block of Graves Street to remove himself from the altercation when Dudley allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot him. The shooting happened in front of Kelly's mother.

Police and fire medics were dispatched to the scene around 3:15 p.m. and found Eric Kelly with a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital for treatment, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. The investigation into the homicide quickly led authorities to a suspect within the family.

On Tuesday, June 2, 2020, the Montgomery Police Department arrested 58-year-old Anita Dudley. She was charged with one count of murder in the death of her cousin. Dudley was booked into the Montgomery County Detention Facility, and her bond was set at $150,000.

"No one expected anything like this to happen," Julia Bennett later said of the tragedy. "I never thought his family would do this to him." As of January 2021, Anita Dudley's case was proceeding through the legal system.