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 225–16 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 he'd 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 Destiny's 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 Destiny's Child's activities.
On July 25, 2009, Forrest was murdered in the Mechanicsville neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. At about 11:00 pm EDT on July 25, 2009, Forrest stopped at a gas station in the Atlanta neighborhood of Mechanicsville. With him was his 11-year-old 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 Forrest's 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 20-year-old Demario Ware, 25-year-old Jquante 'Quante' Crews, and 30-year-old 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 Oxygen's true crime series The Real Murders of Atlanta (S3:E1).
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