Two Teens Charged with Murder of Girl
tinydancer
assholes robbed, raped and shot this poor girl. Photos' of all involved at
link below.
Two Teens Charged With Murder Of Wilson Teen; Third Charged As Accessory
Police Believe Robbery Was Motive
POSTED: 9:58 am EDT July 2, 2004
UPDATED: 12:06 pm EDT July 2, 2004
WILSON, N.C. -- Wilson police have arrested three teenagers in connection
with the death of a 17-year-old girl found dead in a field Tuesday
afternoon.
James Johnson, 18, and Kenneth Meeks, 16, are each charged with first-degree
kidnapping, murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and rape in the death of
Brittany Willis.
Julian Deans, 19, is charged with accessory after the fact.
Police say the arrests came after Johnson and Meeks went to Wilson police
Thursday night offering information about the case and mentioned a reward.
Investigators charge that Johnson and Meeks abducted Willis from the
Brentwood Shopping Center parking lot Monday afternoon and took her to a
nearby construction field, where she was raped and shot.
Willis' body was found late Tuesday afternoon in the field on Westshire
Drive near the White Hall subdivision.
The vehicle Willis had been driving, a 2000 Lexus sport utility vehicle, was
found less than a mile away at the Wilson Woods apartment complex. Police
believe the teens dumped the vehicle there.
Police believe the crimes happened in daylight, that Willis was picked at
random and the motive was robbery.
"These people were looking for money. Based on our investigation they saw
her and it was an opportunity," said Detective Johnny Hendricks of the
Wilson Police Department.
A $20,000 reward was offered by Willis' family and friends for information
leading to an arrest.
News of the arrests came just a few hours before friends and family gathered
at the First United Methodist Church, where Willis' funeral took place
Friday morning.
"They're really pleased we were able to make an arrest this quick, but
nothing is going to change the pain they've got," Hendricks said.
The field where Willis' body was found remains sealed off. Investigators are
still actively working the case and say there could be more arrests.
Willis, a Hunt High School graduate, would have turned 18 this week. She
planned to attend Peace College in Raleigh in the fall.
Previous Stories:
a.. July 1, 2004: Detectives Continue Search For Clues In Wilson Murder
Investigation
b.. July 1, 2004: Investigators Seek Motive, Suspect In Murder Of Wilson
Teen
c.. June 30, 2004: Wilson Police Say Teen's Vehicle May Be Key In Murder
Investigation
d.. June 30, 2004: Another Wilson Teen Missing, Leaves Note
http://www.wral.com/news/3485860/detail.html
tinydancer
Two Charged with Murder in Death of Wilson Teen
By The Associated Press
Two Wilson teenagers were charged Friday with the murder of a 17-year-old
who disappeared while running errands, and a third teen is charged with
being an accessory after the killing.
James Arthur Johnson, 18, and Kenneth Maurice Meeks, 16, were each charged
with first-degree kidnapping, robbery with a dangerous weapon, murder and
first-degree rape.
Julian Deans, 19, was charged with accessory after the fact.
Investigators said Dean tried to provide an alibi for one of the two accused
in the murder and possibly aided in disposing of the murder weapon.
Investigators charge that Johnson and Meeks abducted Brittany Tyler Willis
from the parking lot a shopping center Monday afternoon and took her to a
construction field, where she was raped and shot. Authorities found her body
there Tuesday afternoon.
Investigators have not recovered the murder weapon, believed to be a
handgun.
Robbery appears to have been the kidnappers' original motive, Wilson police
Sgt. D.H. Garris said Friday.
Investigators said Willis was at Brentwood Shopping Center -- where she was
returning graduation presents -- between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Monday. She was
raped and killed before 6 p.m., Garris said.
The 2000 Lexus sports utility vehicle that Willis was driving was found
Tuesday morning. Investigators said there were signs of a struggle where
Willis was found, but no signs of a struggle in the SUV.
Investigators said leads began to point toward Johnson and Meeks Thursday
afternoon when Dean came to the police station with information. A $20,000
reward was announced Thursday for information in the investigation.
Willis graduated in May from Hunt High School, where she was an honor roll
student and also played on the varsity soccer and volleyball teams. She
planned to attend Peace College in the fall.
Kimberly Morgan of Lucama, a rising senior at Hunt, remembered Willis "was a
lways happy about something." "Even when I was down or upset, she was always
there to talk to or to encourage me," Morgan said. "She was just a really
good person. She was like a big sister to me."
Willis' funeral was scheduled for Friday.
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/070204_APlocal_brittanywillis.html