Renton man sentenced for 2021 murder in Kent parking lot

Receives 30-year sentence for shooting Avery Wilcox Jr.

Avery Wilcox Jr. COURTESY FILE PHOTO

Avery Wilcox Jr. COURTESY FILE PHOTO

The King County Superior Court sentenced a Renton man on May 31 for charges in a 2021 Kent homicide.

Judge Nicole Gaines-Phelps sentenced Anthony Dexter Ford, 38, to 30 years and four months of confinement for charges in regards to the May 21, 2021, murder of 27-year-old Avery Wilcox Jr., of Tukwila, in Kent.

Ford accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty on March 27 to two felony counts of murder in the first degree and unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree and a misdemeanor count of assault in the fourth degree. Prosecutors dropped a felony charge of assault in the first degree and additional firearms penalties against Ford.

Gaines-Phelps sentenced Ford to 30 years and four months in confinement for the murder in the first degree charge, 29 months for the unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree charge, and 364 days for the assault in the fourth degree charge, with the sentences for all three counts to run concurrently. Ford will serve an additional three years on community custody following confinement.

According to court documents, Ford shot Wilcox as Wilcox and his family waited in a parking lot in the 10400 block of Southeast Kent Kangley Road for Kent Police. Wilcox and his family requested Kent Police provide a “civil standby” officer to aid Wilcox in moving his belongings out of a shared apartment with his ex-girlfriend following a breakup.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Ford served as a cousin of Wilcox’s ex-girlfriend, and “[they had] been on bad terms for several years.”

According to the affidavit, Ford’s vehicle pulled up adjacent to Wilcox’s vehicle in the parking lot prior to the sound of multiple gunshots.

One bullet passed through both the driver’s and passenger side windows of Wilcox’s vehicle, shattering the window of Wilcox’s mother’s vehicle, parked parallel to his.

Wilcox’s stepfather, sitting next to Wilcox’s mother, jumped out of the vehicle and pulled out a lawfully owned handgun, firing at Ford’s vehicle as it sped out of the parking lot.

Wilcox’s family dialed 911 and discovered Wilcox lying across the front passenger seat of his vehicle with a gunshot wound to his head. Responding officers pulled Wilcox from the vehicle and provided aid prior to the arrival of medics.

Medics transported Wilcox to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where staff pronounced him as deceased.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office found Wilcox died as a result of a gunshot wound to the right side of his head.

Ford remained at-large for one month following Wilcox’s death.

According to court documents, Ford altered the vehicle he drove while committing the shooting and disposed of the vehicle following the shooting.

Law enforcement booked Ford on a warrant on June 23, 2021.

The family and friends of Wilcox and family of Ford attended Ford’s sentencing hearing on May 31.

“I, Anthony Ford, … with premeditated intent to cause the death of another person, did cause the death of Avery Wilcox Jr. … when I shot him as he was seated in his vehicle,” Ford stated in his guilty plea.

Wilcox worked as a barber at Nine Thousand Hair Studio in Tukwila, according to Facebook posts by Wilcox and his friends. Wilcox referred to himself as Mr. Barber on his Facebook page. Wilcox played football at Foster High School in Tukwila and graduated in 2012, according to maxpreps.com.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

t
Cancer Center is open and ready to serve South King County

Cancer patients can now receive treatment at the Valley Medical Center in Renton.

t
Kent officers part of CW ‘Police 24/7’ episode Thursday night, Feb. 6

Department also part of future episodes after CW crews responded on calls with police in 2024

An Amtrak train in Kent. FILE PHOTO, STEVE HUNTER, Kent Reporter
Pedestrian, 30, dies in Kent collision with Amtrak train | Update

Medical examiner identifies Kent man struck Wednesday evening, Feb. 5 near East Titus Street

t
NTSB rules pilot lost control in 2023 Kent small plane crash

Pilot and passenger were injured; pilot flew without receiving training in plane model’s operation

Courtesy Photo, King County
Man receives 35-year sentence for 2021 Kent killing of mother

Duane Bates borrowed pipe wrench from neighbor in beating death and later returned it

A city of Kent Public Works crew member chains up a truck Feb. 3 to help clear snow from streets. COURTESY PHOTO, City of Kent
Kent schools closed for 3rd consecutive day due to icy conditions

Kent School District cancels classes on Wednesday, Feb. 5

t
World Relief office in Kent faces challenging refugee crisis

Trump’s executive order to suspend refugee resettlement directly impacts nonprofit

Courtesy Photo, Kent School District
Kent schools closed Tuesday, Feb. 4 due to icy roads

Second consecutive day of no school due to road conditions

Courtesy Photo, City of Kent
Kent Severe Weather Shelter to be open nights of Feb. 3-7

Shelter downtown at Holy Spirit Church will operate from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. each night

t
Kent Police hire officer who fatally shot Kansas man while on duty

Officer previously worked for Olathe Police Department; remains subject of wrongful death lawsuit

Calvin Watts. COURTESY FILE PHOTO, Kent School District
Ex-Kent schools’ superintendent Watts fired from Georgia job

Gwinnett County board terminates superintendent contract; Watts left Kent in 2021 for position