Asheville Man Gets Life Sentence for Cousin’s Murder in Broad Daylight Shooting

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A 26-year-old Asheville resident has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of shooting his cousin 16 times during a fatal confrontation in 2022.

Kevion Edgerton was convicted of first-degree murder on July 28 by a Buncombe County jury for the killing of 21-year-old Keith Mosely, the Asheville Citizen Times reports. The deadly encounter took place at Hillcrest Apartments, a public housing complex in Asheville, where Mosely was sitting in his parked car when Edgerton approached and fired 17 rounds, hitting him 16 times. The verdict followed a six-day trial featuring testimony from law enforcement, eyewitnesses, and forensic experts.

District Attorney Todd Williams told the jury the act was a cold, calculated attack. “This should impact all of us. This is part of our daily lives. We have a right to be safe in our own personal space,” Williams said in court.

Disputed Footage

Surveillance video from the complex was at the heart of the trial. Prosecutors argued the footage showed Edgerton deliberately firing into the car after calmly stepping back. “What would an executioner do? This is intentional. This is premeditated. This is deliberate,” Williams said during his closing remarks.

Defense attorney Ted Besen argued that the footage could be interpreted differently, describing Edgerton as being surprised rather than aggressive. Besen pointed to an earlier video showing Mosely reaching into the backseat of his car, where an empty holster was later found, suggesting the possibility of a weapon. However, police did not find a firearm in the vehicle, and Superior Court Judge George C. Bell ruled there was insufficient evidence to support claims of self-defense or reduce the charge.

“There’s just too many jumps without the defendant testifying and telling his side of the story,” Bell said, adding that the court had no reason to believe a reasonable juror could conclude self-defense was involved.

Despite the verdict, Besen filed a notice of appeal with the North Carolina Court of Appeals on the same day. He did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Multiple witnesses took the stand, including Hillcrest residents and law enforcement officers. One eyewitness testified that Mosely made no movements in response to the shots and did not appear to have a gun. The defense questioned the credibility of the account, citing tinted car windows and the witness admitting to being under the influence at the time.

Edgerton turned himself in on the same day as the shooting. Gunshot residue was found on his hands, confirmed by state forensic testing.

Outside the court, Mosely’s mother, Teresa Mosely, expressed relief after more than three years of waiting for justice. “I’m feeling so blessed and thankful they saw the truth and my baby got justice,” she said. She recalled her son, “Deuce,” as a kind and driven young man who dreamed of playing for the NFL and working with children.

“This is my first day of healing,” she added.