Shivangi Sinha
When the police were investigating the murder of Alisha Canales-McGuire, they had limited information to start with. The CCTV footage revealed that two individuals arrived at her door in the early hours of September 2017 and shot Alisha as she opened it. Without further identification or witnesses, the case remained unsolved for months until a crucial tip was received. Netflix’s ‘Worst Ex Ever’ episode titled ‘Married to a Monster’ features the eventual arrests of Jerradon Phelps and Alexis Hale, providing a detailed look at the evidence that led to their convictions and motives for the crime.
Jerradon and Alexis Were Teenagers When They Committed the Crime
At 19, Jerradon Phelps was residing in Spokane, Washington, when his cousin Kevin Lewis reached out to him. Kevin, who had recently separated from Amanda Canales, offered Jerradon $2,400 to murder Amanda at her home in Everett, Washington. Having faced previous minor arrests, Jerradon found the money appealing and enlisted the help of his 17-year-old girlfriend, Alexis Hale, who agreed to assist him.
Around 1:30 am on September 20, 2017, Jerradon and Alexis drove into town, first stopping at Kevin’s house, where they waited outside. Kevin joined them in the car, and after driving around for approximately 15-20 minutes, they returned him to his home. It was believed that this was when they received their payment for the murder. Subsequently, Jerradon and Alexis proceeded to Amanda’s house and rang the doorbell. They anticipated that a young man at the door would raise suspicion, so they sent Alexis, a young woman, to appear less threatening.
Jerradon concealed himself behind a ledge near the garage door while Alexis rang the bell. Unfortunately for them, Alisha Canales-McGuire, Amanda’s sister, answered the door. Neither Jerradon nor Alexis had anticipated this. Without hesitation, Jerradon emerged and shot Alisha four times. Alisha managed to close the door and collapse behind it. Jerradon then reopened the door and fired two more shots before they fled the scene. Believing that the CCTV footage wouldn’t capture their faces clearly, they felt relatively secure about not being identified.
Snapchat Posts Proved Crucial in Leading the Police to Jerradon and Alexis
The police initially had few leads, although they saw Kevin claiming that he had been in his house for the entire night. However, in April 2018, an anonymous tip provided a breakthrough. The informant reported overhearing a woman named Angelika bragging about a murder. Since the details she shared matched information that hadn’t been made public, the police investigated further. This led them to identify Alexis as the person who had been discussing the crime.
The police quickly connected Jerradon to Alexis, and both were arrested later that month. During interrogation, the police anticipated that Alexis would eventually talk, but it was Jerradon who confessed under pressure. By then, the police had gathered additional evidence. They examined their phones and traced their location, confirming their drive from Tacoma to Everett on the night of the murder. The investigation also revealed Snapchat videos of them flaunting cash and recording their drive toward Amanda’s house. Additionally, Alexis had posted photos of herself holding a gun, which the police believed was used in the crime.
Jerradon Phelps and Alexis Hale are Serving Their Sentence Today
Following their confessions, Jerradon Phelps and Alexis Hale faced charges of aggravated first-degree murder and first-degree criminal conspiracy to commit murder. Despite being 17 at the time of the crime, Alexis’s intent and deceit led the court to try her as an adult. By July 2020, Jarradon cooperated fully with the police and secured a plea deal that reduced his charge from aggravated first-degree murder to premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement. In exchange, he agreed to testify against Kevin during the latter’s trial. Alexis took a similar plea deal for the same charge a few months later.
In 2021, Jarradon Phelps and Alexis Hale were sentenced according to their plea deals. Jarradon received a 31⅔-year prison term, while Alexis was given a 15-year sentence. During Alexis’s sentencing, her mother testified that she had purchased the gun used in the murder. Jarradon, now 26 years old, is serving his sentence at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center. Details about Alexis’s incarceration are not publicly available, but she would be around 24 years old now.
Read More: Alisha Canales-McGuire: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?
