FRANKFORT, KY (Feb. 19, 2026)- Attorney General Russell Coleman announced a Louisville man convicted of murdering three people, including two teenage brothers, will remain in prison following a unanimous Supreme Court ruling today. The Attorney General’s Solicitor General defended the conviction of Brice Rhodes before Kentucky’s highest court.
The Supreme Court upheld Rhodes’ life sentence without the possibility of parole. He was convicted in 2023 on three counts of murder, tampering with physical evidence, and two counts of abuse of a corpse.
On May 4, 2016, Rhodes shot Christopher Jones on South 41st Street in Louisville. Believing a pair of brothers who had been with him would report the crime, Rhodes fatally stabbed Maurice Gordon,14, and Larry Ordway, 16. He then set their bodies on fire before dumping them behind an abandoned house on Riverpark Drive.
Cell phone data later identified possible suspects, who then led Louisville Metro Police detectives to Rhodes.
In his appeal, Rhodes presented multiple arguments, but the Supreme Court found them without merit and unanimously voted to uphold Rhodes’ convictions and sentence.
“Justice has once again been affirmed," said Attorney General Coleman. "With the appeal denied of this three-time convicted murderer, the court has reinforced that accountability does not expire."
“We are grateful that the judges involved in this case went to such lengths to ensure that the rights of both sides were protected under the law, so that the family of Christopher Jones and the family of Maurice Gordon and Larry Ordway do not have to spend another day in court reliving this nightmare,” said First Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Elizabeth Jones Brown, who took on the case at its start in 2016.
“Nothing can bring back the three precious lives this defendant took. Our hope is that the families of these victims can rest easier knowing that his lifetime sentence has been confirmed,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina D. Whethers.
Assistant Solicitor General and Director of Capital Litigation Christopher Henry represented the Commonwealth before the Kentucky Supreme Court. Assistant Attorney General Critt Cunnigham, then a Jefferson Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, served on Rhodes' prosecution team under the leadership of Elizabeth Jones Brown.
Read the Kentucky Supreme Court’s ruling here.