Bio

Clarence C. Nesbit was born on January 15, 1974, in Tennessee. 

Murder Story

On May 20, 1993, Clarence Nesbit shot and killed Miriam M. Cannon in her apartment in Memphis, Tennessee. At the time, four of her five young children were present. Following the murder, Nesbit attempted to cover up his actions. He first claimed that she had shot herself while playing Russian Roulette and later changed his story to say it was an accident, asserting he thought the gun was unloaded.

Miriam Cannon was found dead with a bullet wound to her head, and investigators discovered signs of torture on her body. Medical examinations revealed that she had suffered burns and bruises prior to her death. The authorities collected various pieces of evidence from the crime scene, including bullet casings and personal items.

Nesbit was arrested the following day after he was seen leaving the scene. He initially tried to explain his actions in a way that would diminish his culpability. However, he was charged with first-degree murder and faced a trial where evidence of the heinous nature of the crime was presented, including the brutality involved in the torture that occurred before the fatal shooting.

The prosecution highlighted the impact of the murder on the victim's family during the trial. Nesbit was ultimately convicted and sentenced to death. The Tennessee Supreme Court upheld his conviction and the death sentence, emphasizing the nature of the crime as especially cruel and the implications for the victim's children, who had witnessed the aftermath of their mother's murder.