Brutal kidnapping of woman found naked and shot in the head leads to life in prison
Jayden Gildersleeve escaped the possibility of execution by pleading guilty in the death of Genise Carter.
Ethan Parker 
A 23-year-old man will spend the remainder of his life behind bars for the brutal killing of a woman who was beaten and kidnapped at a Birmingham convenience store while onlookers watched without calling 911.
Jayden Gildersleeve, who was scheduled to face a capital murder trial this week, avoided a potential death sentence by entering a guilty plea. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Alaric May handed down a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Tragic Discovery
On the morning of January 25, 2024, a city worker discovered 43-year-old Genise Carter’s body in the 1300 block of 17th Street North. The victim was found face down, wearing only socks, having been shot in the head.
A Violent Ordeal
Evidence presented by Birmingham Police Detective John Finke revealed the harrowing timeline of the incident. Surveillance footage from a Shell station on Third Avenue West showed Gildersleeve and co-defendant Michael Spellman approaching Carter on the morning of her death. Over a 30-minute span, the victim repeatedly attempted to escape, even jumping into a stranger's SUV to plead for help, but was forced back into the suspects' Chevrolet Malibu at gunpoint.
Detective Finke testified that during the struggle, Carter was beaten at the store entrance before being forced back into the vehicle by Gildersleeve, with Spellman assisting in the abduction. Shortly after the suspects drove away, a vehicle was captured on video entering a dead-end street near where Carter’s body was eventually discovered.
Justice Served
Chief Deputy District Attorney Joe Roberts and Deputy District Attorney Deborah Danneman handled the prosecution of the case. According to Roberts, the motive behind the senseless crime was Gildersleeve's anger over a missing phone. The prosecution credited Detective Finke for his thorough investigation, which was instrumental in securing the conviction.
"Genise's family is satisfied that the defendant admitted his guilt and will never be released from prison," Roberts said. "Deborah Danneman and I were proud to stand up for Genise Carter who had her life brutally and senselessly taken."
Michael Spellman, 64, previously pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of kidnapping in November and is slated for sentencing later this month.
