RFP Staff
♦ Tony Lamont Luther, 41, of Salisbury, N.C. plead guilty Friday to the May 2013 stabbing murder of his ex-girlfriend Tasha Nicole West, 28, and will receive a sentence of life without parole.
Luther, after stabbing his off and on again former girlfriend, turned himself into the magistrate’s office on the evening of May 23rd 2013. Before entering the magistrate’s office, the killer used Tasha Nicole West blood to fashion a crude heart and initials on the side of the magistrate’s building. In the office Luther confessed to killing West in a jealous rage and was charged. He told the police he loved West, but had to kill the “bitch”. Receiving no bond because of the nature of the offense, he was sent to the Rowan County Detention Center.
The night of the murder Salisbury Police officers entered the victim’s apartment on the 300 block of Calhoun Street near MLK where they found the bloodied and partially clad body of Tasha Nicole West with a stab wound to the chest.
Luther plead guilty to the murder on Friday in court as part of a plea bargain and was sentenced to life without parole.
At Friday’s court proceedings Rowan County District Attorney Brandy Cook described the case against West’s killer, saying Luther flew into a jealous rage after finding out West was dating another man. Cook read Luther’s police statement from the night of the murder: “I blanked–I lost it.” Then she read Luther’s admission of stabbing West in the chest.
Attorney James Davis, representing Luther along with attorney Jay White, told the court that his client was indeed sorry and offered his sincere, deepest, and most profound apologies for his actions. In accepting the plea bargain Tony Lamont Luther was trying to make right the best that he can.
Both Davis and White provided an image of Luther’s challenging childhood, a history of mental illness, and suicide attempts. They told the court that Luther was receiving treatment.
Tony Lamont Luther’s criminal record:
Tasha Nicole West, a former Burger King employee, had three children: Malaka Cornelius, Joshua Cornelius, and Damien Cornelius. Tasha Nicole West is pictured below:
