Vernon Forrest

Vernon Forrest February 12 1971 July 25 2009 was an American professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008 He held multiple world championships in two weight classes including the WBC IBF Ring magazine and lineal welterweight between 2002 and 2003 and the WBC super welterweight title twice between 2007 and 2009 He had 45 fights 41 wins 29 knockouts 3 losses and 1 no contest he was a four time world champion After compiling an impressive 22516 record as an amateur he became the 1992 US junior welterweight champion and won silver at the 1991 World Amateur Boxing Championships losing in the finals to Kostya Tszyu He was a member of the 1992 US Olympic Team during the Summer Olympics in Barcelona Spain He was the gold medal favorite heading into the tournament He would have to fight Cuban fighter Hector Vinent a gold medalist before reaching that goal However he was stricken with food poisoning a day before his first round bout and was beaten by Peter Richardson who hed previously defeated in a fight at the 1991 World Amateur Boxing Championships en route to winning the silver medal He returned home to Augusta then moved to Las Vegas and made his professional debut on November 25 1992 He was involved directly with the creation of the Not for Profit Destinys Child a group home that assists people with developmental emotional and psychological disabilities and needs He was also involved directly with helping the clients by organizing Destinys Childs activities On July 25 2009 Forrest was murdered in the Mechanicsville neighborhood of Atlanta Georgia At about 1100 pm EDT on July 25 2009 Forrest stopped at a gas station in the Atlanta neighborhood of Mechanicsville With him was his 11yearold godson As the boy went inside the gas station Forrest went to the back of his car to add air to a low tire As this occurred a man robbed him at gunpoint taking his championship ring and Rolex watch and fled Forrest who was armed with a license to carry went after the man and shots were exchanged his godson got into Forrests car and locked the doors After a short distance Forrest gave up the chase and began exchanging words with a second man It was this man that shot Forrest seven to eight times in the back as he walked away Atlanta Police would arrest and later charge 20yearold Demario Ware 25yearold Jquante Quante Crews and 30yearold Charman Twin Sinkfield for his murder Sinkfield was the shooter Ware was the robber and Crews was the driver Crews and Ware are serving life sentences Georgia Department of Corrections On October 28 2016 Charman Sinkfield was sentenced to life without parole His homicide and investigation is chronicled on Oxygens true crime series The Real Murders of Atlanta S3E1 Most info from Wikipedia the free encyclopedia