CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The DA’s Homicide Team convicted 17 people in homicide cases in the months of October, November and December 2012.
October 1, 2012
Traci Bell, 26, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the March 2011 shooting of her boyfriend, Andrew Nichols, 26. After Bell entered her guilty plea, sentencing arguments were made by the prosecutor and Bell’s attorney as to whether Bell should receive a prison sentence or a suspended sentence with supervised probation. The defense presented evidence of prior acts of domestic violence committed by the victim against Bell, and Bell testified about the events leading up to the shooting that night. The Honorable Richard D. Boner, Superior Court Judge, sentenced Bell to 38-55 months in prison but suspended that sentence and placed Bell on probation for 30 months. Among other conditions of her probation, Bell must serve 180 days in the county jail, followed by 6 months of house arrest.
October 4, 2012
Before The Honorable Richard D. Boner, Superior Court Judge:
Tommy Lee Stowe, 25, pled guilty to second-degree murder in the February 2012 shooting of Ramel Realistic Dayson, 21. Stowe was sentenced to 165-210 months in prison. Anka Lynne Thompson, 33, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the November 2011 killing of Leonard Gaskins, 47. Thompson was sentenced to 72-96 months in prison.
Arnold Jerard Thomas, 19, pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the June 2012 death of D’Antonio Gerrick Hamilton, 21. Thomas was sentenced to 14 -26 months in prison.
Lakeem Roamele Baker, 20, pled guilty to second-degree murder in the November 2011 killing of Justin Martinez Glenn, 22. Baker was sentenced to 157-198 months in prison.
Cornell Blackwell, 20, pled guilty to 1) second-degree murder and 2) robbery with a dangerous weapon in the August 2011 killing of Caleb Copenhaver, 20. Blackwell was sentenced to 157 – 198 months in prison for the murder conviction and 64-86 months in prison for the robbery conviction. The sentences are to be served consecutively.
Javier Juarez-Cruz, 19, pled guilty to 1) involuntary manslaughter, 2) driving while impaired, 3) reckless driving and 4) driving without an operator’s license in connection with the April 2012 wreck that killed his brother, Jose Juarez-Cruz, 17. Javier Juarez-Cruz was sentenced to 13-25 months in prison.
October 12, 2012
Cameron Edward Butler, 22, pled guilty to 1) second-degree murder, 2) assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and 3) discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle in operation, in connection with the May 2010 murder of Deandre Kidd, 17, and the wounding of another man. The Honorable Yvonne Mims Evans, Superior Court Judge, sentenced Butler to 300-389 months in prison.
Davon Lamont Thomas, 30, was found not guilty by reason of insanity of first-degree murder for the November 2009 killing of Tigist Yemane Southern, 23. The Honorable Eric L. Levinson, Superior Court Judge, ordered that Thomas be indefinitely committed to a state mental facility.
October 18, 2012
Antoine Dion Young, 31, pled guilty to 1) first-degree murder, 2) robbery with a dangerous weapon, and 3) larceny of a motor vehicle in connection with the January 2011 killing of Christopher Julian Radok, 55. The Honorable James W. Morgan, Superior Court Judge, sentenced Young to life in prison without the possibility of parole, as well as an additional 108-140 months in prison.
November 1, 2012
Charles Edward Sammons, Jr., 27, pled guilty to second-degree murder in the May 2010 killing of Jerman Marque McJunkins, 23. The Honorable Richard D. Boner, Superior Court Judge, sentenced Sammons to 94-122 months in prison.
November 5, 2012
Deone Steven Varra, 36, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the July 2011 murder and attempted robbery of Isaac Rodriguez, 21. The Honorable Yvonne Mims Evans, Superior Court Judge, sentenced Varra to 24-38 months in prison.
November 8, 2012
Kayie Shaune Wright, 19, pled guilty to 1) second-degree murder and 2) robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the November 2011 murder and r obbery of Catherine Barca, 50. The Honorable Beverly T. Beal, Superior Court Judge, sentenced Wright to 176-236 months in prison.
Randy Edward Cook, 53, was tried for first-degree murder for the May 2010 killing of Leonard Heard, 58. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
Salena Harris, 28, pled guilty to two counts of second-degree murder for the July 2010 murders of Keith Cox, 42, and Clayton King, 48. The Honorable Beverly T. Beal, Superior Court Judge,
sentenced Harris to 286-362 months in prison.
November 9, 2012
Montreall Lavell Banner, 18, was tried for 1) first-degree murder and 2) attempted armed robbery in connection with the July 2011 murder and attempted r obbery of Isaac Rodriguez, 21. The jury returned verdicts of guilty as charged on both counts. The Honorable Yvonne Mims Evans, Superior Court Judge, sentenced Banner to life in prison with parole eligibility after 25 years.
Kavron Hart, 27, was tried for first-degree murder for the October 2009 killing of Cody Jeffries, 29. A jury found Hart guilty of voluntary manslaughter. The Honorable Mark Klass sentenced Hart to 55-75 months in prison.
December 13, 2012
Before The Honorable W. Robert Bell, Superior Court Judge:
Sharrandon Adams, 32, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the May 2012 death of his girlfriend, Emanee Annetta Womack, 33. Adams was sentenced to 59 -83 months in prison.
Matthew Maverick Liewald, 16, pled guilty to two counts of second -degree murder in the September 2011 deaths of his father, Christian Hans Liewald, 43, and his stepmother, Cassie Buckaloo Liewald, 24. Liewald was sentenced to 150-189 months in prison on each count for a total of 300-378 months in prison.
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