A 24-year-old man has pleaded guilty in a 2021 shooting outside a bar on Birmingham’s Southside that killed one man and critically injured another.
Alonzo Johnson II, of Greensboro, pleaded guilty to murder in the slaying of 42-year-old Shaun Rhudy, a beloved father and engineer who worked at the front door at Marty’s PM, and attempted murder in the wounding of a second victim.
Johnson was sentence to 20 years in prison. Authorities said he fired the fatal shots because he was denied entry into the bar.
The case was prosecuted by Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Kylie Jernigan. Johnson was represented by attorney Julian Hendrix.
Terrill Huey Jr., 30, of Moundville, pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution for driving Johnson away from the crime scene. He received a two-year suspended sentence.
The shooting happened shortly before 3:30 a.m. on Christmas Eve in 2021.
South Precinct officers responded that Friday on a report of shots fired. Officers found one of the victims laying unresponsive at the entrance to the bar and another man unresponsive in a parking lot across the street.
Both had been shot and were rushed to UAB Hospital.
Rhudy was later pronounced dead.
Police at the time said the bar’s management did not allow Johnson into the establishment because of a prior incident. Johnson was then involved in a fight in the parking lot across the street when gunfire ensued, striking Rhudy and the second male victim.
Johnson fled the scene, and Huey picked him up. Both were quickly taken into custody.
Alonzo Johnson(Jefferson County Jail)
Though not an Alabama native, Rhudy spent the majority of his life in the Birmingham area.
He obtained an engineering degree from Auburn University, was a graduate of Hoover High School and had attended St. Paul’s School downtown from kindergarten through eighth grade.
“He exemplified the things he learned at that school (St. Paul’s) which was an appreciation for all of the people around him,’’ said his grieving mother, Pat Rhudy, told AL.com in 2021. “He was generally easy going, non-judgmental and liked everyone.”
Though Rhudy worked as an engineer after college, he long ago left that field of work and opted to do what made him happy which was working in Southside at various restaurants over the years.
“He never worried about money too much. Never wanted to be rich. He just liked living life,’’ said longtime friend Chris Powell shortly after Rhudy’s death. “That was the life he liked.”
Rhudy left behind a 9-year-old son.
Johnson was booked back into the Jefferson County Jail Monday – following his guilty plea – to await transfer to state prison.
