COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia jury has convicted a Mississippi National Guard member in the 2021 murder of her girlfriend at a Smyrna extended-stay hotel, Cobb County officials said.
Selena Kellum, 26, was found guilty on Friday of felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, tampering with evidence, and entering an automobile.
The incident happened on Dec. 23, 2021, when Smyrna Police responded to a welfare check at the InTown Suites at 3000 Highland Parkway. Officers found 24-year-old Shaikia Strong dead after being shot multiple times, including one to her neck and two to her face.
Cobb County District Attorney Flynn D. Broady Jr. said that during their investigation, authorities determined Kellum and Strong were in a romantic relationship and had gotten into a heated argument before the shooting. Kellum then discarded shell casings, stole several items from Strong’s room, and fled toward Mississippi. During her escape, she hid evidence in a storage unit near Biloxi.
Kellum later turned herself into the Biloxi Police Department, and she was extradited to Cobb County to face charges. A 12-person jury convicted Kellum on Oct. 4, 2024, after Senior District Attorney Jared Horowitz and Senior Assistant District Attorney Jay Winkler presented the state’s case against her.
“Shaikia left her hometown in Mississippi to pursue her dream of becoming an actor, and at the time of her death, she was on the path to achieving that dream. This jury’s verdict ensures justice for Shaikia and holds Selena Kellum accountable for her actions,” Horowitz said.
Kellum will be sentenced at a later date.
